Oldham by-election: 'Nobody anticipated a victory on this scale'

Jim McMahon was surrounded by jubilant supporters at the by-election count at Oldham's Civic Centre

This was a surprise result for Labour, but an unexpectedly good one.

Not only was it almost 11,000 votes ahead of UKIP, the party also increased its vote share.

Only a fortnight ago some were predicting a shock defeat.

Nobody anticipated a victory on this scale. Undoubtedly a large part of it must be down to the candidate Jim McMahon, the former council leader.

He was recognised as the local candidate.

'Struggling with strategy'

But UKIP tried to turn this into a referendum on Jeremy Corbyn, even branding him a "security risk".

Clearly it failed and suggests he's not as politically toxic as his opponents wish.

UKIP blames the postal vote and the number of Asian voters who use it. But that's the system the party is up against.

UKIP's result was far worse than Heywood and Middleton and much more disappointing than it expected.

And it leaves them struggling with a strategy to win seats from Labour in the north of England.