It comes after Labour overturned a 20,000 majority to win the Selby and Ainsty by-election with a 23.7 percentage points swing away from the Conservatives – the second largest produced by Labour at a by-election since 1945. Rishi Sunak’s Tories also lost in Somerton and Frome, with the Liberal Democrats turning a 19,000 blue majority into an 11,000-vote cushion for new MP Sarah Dyke. But with the Prime Minister’s party hanging on in Boris Johnson’s old Uxbridge and South Ruislip seat, the west London result has sparked debates within both the Tories and Labour on its green policy stance. Following the Uxbridge win, the Prime Minister vowed to double down on his Government’s plan and his five priorities, which includes halving inflation by the end of the year. The Tories won the former prime minister’s seat by 495 votes, massively down on the 7,210 majority Mr Johnson won less than four years ago.

Source: The Times July 21, 2023 23:19 UTC