Labour win South-Shields by-election

Labour have won the South Shields parliamentary by-election, with Emma Lewell-Buck becoming the first female MP for the constituency.

She said she was "absolutely ecstatic" with the result and added that the result showed the coalition government was taking the country in the "wrong direction".

South Shields is a seat that Labour have held since 1935. The party saw their majority reduced in Thursday's poll as The UK Independence Party finished second, with a 24% share of the vote.