LABOUR is celebrating after the party proved popular with voters in Barrow.

The borough returned 13 Labour councillors for the new Westmorland and Furness Council as the party claimed the cost of living crisis had a decisive effect at the ballot box.

And five Conservatives from the area were elected in the borough alongside one independent.

Labour figures said the result sent a message to the Government that people needed more help to pay the bills and afford to eat.

Despite early doom and gloom, the Conservatives managed to take victory in traditional Tory-voting areas, with some key battlegrounds falling in the party's favour.

The only independent councillor elected was self-described 'misfit' Dave Taylor, who will serve Dalton South following a drawn-out recount at Barrow Town Hall.

Candidates on both sides of the spectrum bemoaned the low turnout in the borough, where around 27 per cent of voters took to the polls.

Reflecting on the result, the secretary of the Barrow and Furness Labour Party, Gary Robinson, said people had reacted to the 'spiralling' cost of living.

"We are absolutely delighted," he said.

"This is a clear message to the Government that things need to change.

"The people of Furness are saying 'enough is enough'.

"People are worried about their bills and the Conservatives candidates probably felt the wrath of people on the doorstep."

He said the result showed 'Furness is red'. 

Les Hall, the leader of the Conservative group on Barrow Council, said national events had not strongly influenced the mood of voters of Barrow, with the results largely as expected.

But he conceded: "People are worried about the economy. National issues play a part."

He added: "We've got a great team and we'll work hard to improve things for people in Barrow."

He said the low turnout may have affected his party more than Labour.

Most candidates agreed 'partygate' had had a limited effect on the election, although some Labour figures said some voters were angry with Boris Johnson, the prime minister.

Ben Shirley, who was elected in Dalton North, said voters on the doorstep were 'sick' of 'partygate'.

Independent councillor Dave Taylor said it was now time to 'get things done'.