Who is Damien Egan? All about Labour MP who won Kingswood by-election, overturning Tory majority

Labour Party's Damien Egan achieved a significant victory in the parliamentary by-elections in Kingswood. The Labour Party required a 12.7% swing for an overall majority but achieved a 16%. Egan overturned a majority of more than 11,000 to win the by-election in the South Gloucestershire constituency of Kingswood. He won with 11,176 votes, beating Tory candidate Sam Bromiley with a majority of 2,501.

Damien Egan first came into politics as a parish councillor at the age of 21. He was elected as a councillor in Lewisham before becoming a mayor in 2018. Egan resigned from his position as mayor before contesting in the Kingswood by-elections.

After his win in the by-elections, Egan said the country was "at crossroads."He added that under the Conservatives, they could choose "more managed decline, more chaos, more division," or that they could "choose a changed Labour Party."

“A government that will put people first, ensures the child’s background isn’t a barrier to their future and that will rebuild Great Britain.” Egan noted.

Egan went on to mention that in Kingswood and across the country, 14 years of Conservative government has "sucked the hope" out of the country.

"The feeling is that you can't move forward no matter how hard you work." He added

He also criticized the recession faced by the UK, saying that the people are left "paying more and getting less."

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Who is the new Labour Party MP from the Kingswood constituency, Damien Egan?

Born in Cork, Ireland, Damien Egan moved to Kingswood, near east Bristol as a child. He studied at Hanham Woods Academy before working his first job at the Co-op supermarket in Downend.

As per a biography by the Labour Party, Egan and his mother were homeless at one point in his life. His struggles urged him to become a parish councillor when he was 21 before he moved to London and was elected as a councillor in Lewisham in 2018.

Egan remained in the post until his resignation in 2024 to stand in the Kingswood byelections, following the resignation of the former Tory MP Chris Skidmore.

Egan moved back to Kingswood and stated that he was aware of what was happening mentioning that he knew about the NHS services and policing, according to The Independent.

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Damien Egan's victory signifies the most by-election losses by the Tories in a parliament year

The by-election in Kingswood was called after former Tory MP Chris Skidmore resigned from his position. He resigned as a mark of protest for his own party's stance on the new gas licenses and oil. Skidmore represented the seat in parliament since 2010.

As per LabourList, Damien Egan's victory in the by-elections signified a major blow for the Conservatives. It noted that they have now lost the most by-elections in a single parliament year for any party since the 1960s.

The Labour Party also turned around a majority of over 18,000 in Wellingborough. This has made Rishi Sunak's hopes of holding onto power in the next elections bleak, per The Guardian.

As per The Independent, the Kingswood constituency will be abolished in the upcoming general elections and will be divided into four parts.

Damien Egan has been selected as the Labour Party candidate for one of the divisions, Bristol North East. He will occupy his current seat for the next nine months before campaigning for the general elections.

Labour Party leader Keir Starmer commented on his party's victory in Kingswood. He called it a "fantastic result" and that people had begun to trust the Labour Party once again.

“By winning in this Tory stronghold, we can confidently say that Labour is back in the service of working people and we will work tirelessly to deliver for them … Labour will give Britain its future back.” Starmer added.

Sam Bromiley, the Tory candidate who lost to Egan, declined to make any comment to reporters and left as soon as Damien Egan finished speaking.