Britain’s ruling Conservative Party yesterday lost two more parliamentary seats to Labour in by-elections, dealing an ominous new blow to embattled Prime Minister Rishi Sunak ahead of a full national vote.
The losses capped a dire week for the British leader, struggling to revive support for his beleaguered party, as official data showed Britain is in recession after economic contraction for two successive quarters.
In power since 2010, the Conservatives are widely expected to lose the general election that Sunak, 43, has said he would call in the second half of the year.
Photo: Reuters
The main Labour opposition secured its second largest by-election swing away from the Conservatives in one of Thursday’s contests, held after a Conservative lawmaker quit and another faced a recall petition over bullying his staff.
“The Tories have failed. Rishi’s recession proves that. That’s why we’ve seen so many former Conservative voters switching directly to this changed Labour Party,” Labour Party leader Keir Starmer said as he hailed the “fantastic” results.
“People want change and are ready to put their faith in a changed Labour Party to deliver it,” he said.
Photo: AFP
Conservative Deputy Chair James Daly called the losses “disappointing,” but insisted there was “no love” for Starmer.
The by-elections highlight the struggle Sunak faces if he is to secure a fifth consecutive term in power for the Conservatives.
The party has a lost a string of traditionally safe seats to Labour and the smaller centrist Liberal Democrats.
Former chief prosecutor Starmer and his party have enjoyed double-digit leads over the Conservatives in most opinion polls throughout Sunak’s 15-month tenure as prime minister.
He replaced Liz Truss, who was ousted after her tax-cutting economic agenda spooked markets and lost support. The Conservatives’ popularity has plummeted, as Britain has endured the worst cost-of-living crisis in decades since the COVID-19 pandemic.
Factional infighting and chaotic rule have also led to three prime ministers since autumn 2022.
A record 21 by-elections have now been held since the last general election in 2019, many as a result of misconduct committed by Conservative lawmakers. The Conservatives were defeated in the vast majority.
The party has now lost more by-elections in a single parliament than any government since the 1966-1970 Labour administration of Harold Wilson, which suffered 15.
Thursday’s contests were held in Wellingborough, England, and in Kingswood, in the southwest.
Former Wellingborough Conservative MP Peter Bone was suspended from parliament after an inquiry found he had subjected a staff member to bullying and sexual misconduct.
Bone’s partner, Helen Harrison, was controversially selected as his replacement candidate in the seat, held by the party since 2005.
Labour overcame a majority of 18,540 by scoring a 28.5 percent swing — its second-largest ever from the Conservatives in a by-election.
The vote in Kingswood, near Bristol, was triggered by Chris Skidmore’s resignation as an MP in protest at Sunak’s plans to boost North Sea oil and gas drilling.
Labour won the seat — Conservative since 2010, but due to be abolished for the general election under the redrawing of constituency boundaries — with nearly 45 percent of the vote.
Sunak will also be unnerved by fringe right-wingers Reform UK — formerly the Brexit Party — securing more than 10 percent for the first time, suggesting his party is losing voters to the right as well as Labour.
The wins will be welcome respite for the opposition party, after it also endured a difficult week following the suspension of two prospective MPs over allegations of anti-Semitism.
One had been selected to contest a by-election this month, in Rochdale, near Manchester, which has been sparked by the death of a veteran Labour MP.
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