Labour announces double by-election for February 23

In what is being seen as an attempt to stretch Ukip's campaign resources, Labour will hold both the Stoke Central and Copeland by-elections on the same day

Tristram Hunt quit as an MP last week to become director of the Victoria and Albert Museum in London (Getty)

The Labour Party has put plans in place for a double by-election, with the party announcing it intends to move the writs to allow the Stoke Central and Copeland by-elections to take place on February 23rd.

Both seats have been left vacant by the resignations of Tristram Hunt in Stoke and Jamie Reed in Copeland.

It expects to face significant challenges in both places, from Ukip in Stoke and the Conservatives in Copeland.

Jamie Reed is to take up a job in the nuclear industry. Mr Hunt has quit to become director of the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.

A spokesman for Jeremy Corbyn said: “Labout intends to move writes for Copeland and Stoke by-elections on Monday with polling day expected to be 23 February.”

Labour won a large majority in Stoke Central in the 2015 by election, even if turnout was the lowest in the country, but the constituency voted 66 to 33 to leave the European Union. In Copeland they lead the Conservatives only by a few thousand.

Governing parties winning by-election seats from the official opposition are almost unheard of, the last such incident taking place in 1960, when the Conservatives won Brighouse and Spenborough from Labour.