UK's Labour claim big early win over PM Sunak's Conservatives

Chris Webb holds his son Cillian Douglas Webb as his wife Portia looks on during the Blackpool South Parliamentary by-election, in Blackpool, Britain, May 3, 2024. REUTERS/Phil Noble

LONDON (Reuters) -Britain's opposition Labour Party won a parliamentary seat in northern England on Friday, inflicting a heavy loss on the governing Conservatives at the start of what looked set to be a bruising round of results for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.

The thumping victory set the tone for what will be a closely watched two days of local results before a national election this year, which polling shows could put Labour leader Keir Starmer in power and end 14 years of Conservative government.