The win in Batley and Spen hints Labour might be turning a corner

Editorial: This result, alongside the Liberal Democrats’ recent success in Chesham and Amersham, suggests the long slump in the fortunes of the opposition parties could be bottoming out

Having won an unexpected and rather important by-election, Labour just cannot seem to help but make the worst of it. The reaction was all too typical, and almost surreal. All agree that Kim Leadbeater was an excellent local candidate who fought a brilliant campaign (which was not always the stated view during the last few weeks).

There the amity ends. Supporters of Keir Starmer argue that Labour won because he (rather than Jeremy Corbyn) was leading it. Opponents claim that Labour won despite Sir Keir, rather than because of him.

The psephological evidence cuts both ways, and there are no answers to the hypothetical questions. Until an alternative universe is constructed in which Mr Corbyn is still leader, or has been seamlessly succeeded by, say, Dawn Butler, Andy Burnham or Richard Burgon, there is no possibility of resolving the issue – which is the ideal situation in a Labour Party so fond of in-fighting.