Starmer says he is ‘fighting for every vote' in Hartlepool by-election

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer says he is fighting for every vote in the Hartlepool by-election, after a shock poll put Labour 17 points behind the Tories in the seat.

Starmer, who has visited the constituency three times over the course of the by-election, said he was “fighting for every vote” but conceded that it was going to be difficult to turn the party around from its low ebb in 2019.

A Survation poll for Good Morning Britain put the Conservatives on 50% of the vote – 17 points ahead of Labour.