LABOUR held the Charville seat in Hayes in yesterday’s Hillingdon Council by-election that attracted a turnout of only 25.77%.

John Oswell saw off Conservative Mary O’Connor by a margin of just 21 votes, securing the win with 950 votes cast in his favour.

UKIP’s Cliff Dixon came third with 468 votes while the Lib Dems won only 37 votes.

Former Pinkwell Councillor Mr Oswell paid tribute to his committed campaign team.

He said: “I have had help from John McDonnell MP, and I cannot thank him enough because he has been very, very helpful.”

Former mayor Mrs O’Connor said her party could not have done any more to reclaim the seat.

She said: “It was a very low turnout, but what would you expect for a by-election at the back end of November, with a general election round the corner and the local elections just over?”

The Lib Dems, represented by Paul McKeown, came fifth behind the Trade Unionists and Socialists Against Cuts (TUSAC), represented by Wally Kennedy.

UKIP candidate Cliff Dixon was pleased with the anti-EU party’s performance.

He said: “It was a solid result. We’re established. We are the third party by quite a considerable.”

Mr Oswell will replace David Thorne, who stepped down due to ill-health in October, triggering the by-election.