This is the press release I put out on the announcement of the Norwich North result.
Shocking result for Labour in unnecessary by-election, says McDonnell
Labour has been defeated in the Norwich North by-election caused by the barring of former Labour MP Ian Gibson from standing at the next election.
John McDonnell MP, LRC Chair, said:
"What is clear is that the Brown / Mandelson stratgey is not working. However hard they spin it this is a shocking result for Labour.
"The first thing that Gordon Brown and the Labour Party NEC should do is to apologise to Ian Gibson and his family, the people of Norwich, and the Labour Party members nationwide for robbing them of a decent, hard-working, principled MP, who was greatly respected in his local area.
"If we are going to learn anything from this defeat, the Prime Minister has to stop obeying the diktats of Peter Mandelson and start listening to the people."
