LABOUR’S “bubble has burst” in Rainhill, according to the independent candidate that won the seat by a landslide.

The Rainhill seat was widely expected to be one of the most closely fought contests in the St Helens elections, with Labour’s Stephen Glover aiming to retain his seat.

As it turned out, the contest was not even close, with James Tasker securing 2,164 votes, well ahead of Glover’s 1,229.

The ward also had the highest turnout, with 41.14 per cent.

Following the result, Cllr Tasker said his victory was partially down to the public’s discontent with the “nastiness” of modern politics.

“People are fed up,” he said.

“They’re fed up with the politics and the political parties and the nastiness and the backwards and forwards. Not just at a local level but at national level.

“I think they’re just fed up and they’re fed up in Rainhill because I feel they’re not being represented. They’re being ignored.

“People have voices and the voices need to be heard.”

Cllr Tasker said the Labour Party have “paid a heavy price” for losing touch with the realities of people in Rainhill.

“I think that’s where Labour failed tonight,” he said.

“They’ve failed to engage people, they’ve failed to be in touch with the realities of Rainhill and they’ve paid a heavy price for it.

“They need to get back to their roots and their core values, Labour and they’re so far away in a place like Rainhill and I think in other areas of Merseyside as well they’re so away and detached from reality and the people.

“And they’re in a Labour bubble, and that bubble’s been burst in Rainhill today and I think there will be many more bubbles burst in years to come.”

Cllr Tasker thanked his predecessor for his service to Rainhill, adding that he did not expect to topple the Labour man.

He said: “I’m completely overwhelmed by the support of the people of Rainhill and that’s what I set out to do, to represent the people and they’ve repaid it for me by voting for me and putting their faith in me.

“It’s absolutely amazing because someone like Steve Glover and Labour, you just don’t expect to beat these people.

“We’ve not had a non-Labour councillor in Rainhill for something like 40-plus years.

“It’s amazing to be the person that’s broken down that barrier.”