UK PM Rishi Sunak’s Tories face heavy losses but avert byelection sweep

LONDON — British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Friday averted a damaging byelection whitewash as the governing Conservatives held on to his former boss Boris Johnson’s seat in London, but faced a bruising in two key by-elections ahead of the likely national vote next year.

Thursday’s three-way byelection was widely pitched as a report card on the 43-year-old British Indian leader’s handling of the economy and wider prospects as party leader going into a general election, expected in the second half of 2024.

The outcome meant that Sunak was spared the prospect of being the first British Prime Minister for 55 years to lose three by-elections in one day.

Conservative Steve Tuckwell just about holding on to Uxbridge and South Ruislip, Johnson’s seat, until he stepped down in the wake of a parliamentary inquiry into party gate inquiry last month, was the only bit of good news for the party.

During a visit to Uxbridge soon after the results on Friday morning, Sunak said the victory there showed that the next general election was not “a done deal”, and he vowed to “stick to his plan” and “deliver for people”.

The Opposition Labour Party overturned a massive Tory majority of over 20,000 to decisively clinch the Selby and Ainsty constituency in northern England, a by-election triggered by the resignation of close Boris Johnson ally Nigel Adams.

“This is a historic result that shows that people are looking at Labour and seeing a changed party that is focused entirely on the priorities of working people with an ambitious, practical plan to deliver,” said Labour Leader Keir Starmer.

Congratulations @Mather_Keir, Labour’s new MP for Selby and Ainsty!

Last night, Selby and Ainsty made history. This incredible result shows how powerful the demand for change is.

Only Labour can deliver that change, and build a better Britain. https://t.co/PmLjBKyVDA

— Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) July 21, 2023

With the big win, his namesake 25-year-old Keir Mather overtook Indian-origin Labour MP Nadia Whittome as the so-called “Baby of the House” to become the youngest member of Parliament. It will be a long wait, though, for him to take his seat in the House of Commons, which is now on its summer recess and resumes only in early September.

In a second bruising for the Sunak-led Conservatives, the Liberal Democrats swept the Somerset and Frome byelections in southwest England. Sarah Dyke, a Somerset councillor with a farming background, secured a dramatic victory by winning 21,187 votes, with Conservative Faye Purbrick left far behind in second place with 10,179 votes.

In her victory speech, Dyke thanked “lifelong Conservative voters” who had voted Lib Dem for the first time, as well as Labour and Green supporters who had “lent” their votes. She said the public had been “let down and taken for granted for far too long” by the Conservatives, with the government “too busy being a circus of chaos”.

The by-election was triggered by the resignation of former Tory MP David Warburton, following allegations of drug-taking and sexual misconduct.

I am so proud of the campaigns the Liberal Democrats have run and the candidates who have stood proudly for our vision of a fair deal for the British people.

Sarah, Matt and Blaise have all stood up for their communities against this out-of-touch Conservative government.

— Ed Davey (@EdwardJDavey) July 20, 2023

The Lib Dem leader, Sir Ed Davey, who had campaigned hard in Somerset, hailed his party’s “stunning victory”, which he said shows his party is on course to make a comeback in the region and that the country is “fed up with Rishi Sunak’s out-of-touch Conservative government”.

In London, the sole Tory win was largely attributed to anger against Labour Mayor Sadiq Khan over his plans to extend the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) to outer areas of the UK capital. The policy has proved extremely divisive, and it meant the Tory candidate held on to the Uxbridge and South Ruislip seats by just 495 votes.

In his victory speech, new MP Tuckwell said Khan’s “damaging and costly ULEZ policy” lost Labour the seat. The narrow win, however, has given Sunak some reprieve and saved him from the prospect of becoming the first British Prime Minister in 55 years to lose three byelections in one night.