Labour's Tracy Lynn Brabin holds on to Jo Cox's seat at Batley and Spen with over 17,000 votes

Former Corrie actress won with an overwhelming majority after major parties decided not to contest.

Labour candidate and former Coronation Street actress Tracy Lynn Brabin has won the West Yorkshire constituency of Batley and Spen, in a by-election following the death of MP Jo Cox.

Brabin received a total of 17,506, winning a majority of 16,537 votes. The other major parties — the Conservatives, the Liberal Democrats and Ukip — did not field any candidates in the by-election as a show of respect for the late MP.

Tracy Brabin gives a speech after winning the by-election in murdered Labour Party MP Jo Cox's Batley and Spen constituency, Cathedral House, St Thomas Road, Huddersfield Craig Brough/ Reuters

Cox was shot and stabbed outside the Birstall Library in June of this year, where she was due to hold a constituency surgery. Cox had won the Batley and Spen seat with a majority of 6,057 votes in 2015.

Brabin had campaigned to carry out the work of Cox and had worked with the late MP on her crusade to save the town's library.

In addition to her appearance as Tricia Armstrong in Coronation Street in 1990s, she also played the character Roxy Drake in EastEnders and Carole in Emmerdale.

Brabin has also written for shows including Family Affairs, Tracy Beaker and Hollyoaks, noted the Independent.