Labour's Rosena Allin-Khan wins Tooting by-election as Jo Cox is mourned

Labour's Rosena Allin-Khan was declared the new MP for Tooting last night, increasing the party's majority in a by-election overshadowed by the killing of MP Jo Cox.

Allin-Khan was elected by 17,894 votes to Tory rival Dan Watkins's 6,357, her 11,537 majority an increase of 8,713 votes on previous incumbent Sadiq Khan's 2,824 at the general election. Turnout was 42.5 per cent. Khan stepped down after being named London Mayor last month.

The count was halted at one point for a two-minute silence for Cox, who was shot and killed earlier that day at a constituency surgery in Birstall, West Yorkshire, and the Union flag was at half-mast at the town hall, reports The Guardian.

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It adds that Labour activists hugged each other with tears in their eyes.

Allin-Khan, a junior A&E doctor and deputy leader of the Labour group on Wandsworth council, paid tribute to her late party colleague during her victory speech.

"My thoughts and prayers are with Jo's husband and her children. She was a proud and passionate campaigner who will be desperately missed," said the mother of two.

"Jo's death reminds us that our democracy is precious but fragile. We must never forget to cherish it. Thousands of people voted today and we are all here in recognition of our democratic values."

Witnesses to the attack which took Cox's life say the man who shot and stabbed her shouted: "Britain first", or: "Put Britain first" twice, which has been taken by some as suggesting a far-right or racist motive.

Allin-Khan is of mixed Pakistani and Polish heritage and spoke on the campaign trail of seeking to unite communities, adding that her husband had converted to Islam to marry her. They are bringing up their two daughters, aged one and three, to be Muslim.

The mayor of Wandsworth, Richard Field, told reporters the council had asked for extra security for the count and there was a heavier-than-normal police presence.

He added that campaigners had stopped work when they heard Cox had died and had struggled to return to work.