The New Statement Podcast is sponsored by Barclays, sparking opportunities in your community.

Through Barclays Life Skills, the bank is helping millions of people develop the vital employability

and financial skills they need to succeed at work, thrive in the digital age and better manage their money.

With a focus on supporting underserved communities, Barclays Life Skills is being delivered in partnership

with leading charities and educators like family action, street league and the talent foundry

to support families, young people and young adults to create a better future.

Barclays is sparking opportunities in your community through Barclays Life Skills

to find out more search Barclays communities.

The New Statement

Hi, I'm Anouche and this is the New Statements Politics Podcast.

In this episode, we'll be discussing the results from the two bi-elections that took place yesterday in Tamworth and Midbedfature.

Hello, I'm Anouche Kelly and Britain Editor at the New Statement and host of this podcast.

And joining me in the studio, I have our Associate Political Editor, Rachel Cunliffe,

and later joining us down the line will have our Senior Data Journalist and all-round polling

guru Ben Walker to chat through the numbers.

But Rachel, you and I were actually on the campaign trail doing a bit of reporting.

You went to Midbedfature, tell me what the result was there first and then tell me whether or not you expected it.

So an overwhelming victory for Labour overturning a conservative majority of over 24,000

and it was a really interesting race and I think one of the more interesting seats looking at

as sort of general election terms because this was a three-way race.

This was very, very tight between the Conservatives and both Labour and the Liberal Democrats who were challenging.

And there aren't that many seats across the country where it isn't obvious who the main rival to the Conservatives are.

...