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The polls are seen as a key test for Boris Johnson’s leadership. Alamy Stock Photo

Johnson ‘full of optimism’ as voting closes in two crucial UK by-elections

The two by-elections, both triggered after the previous Tory MPs resigned due to scandals, are seen as key tests for Boris Johnson’s leadership.

LAST UPDATE | 23 Jun 2022

BORIS JOHNSON HAS insisted he is “full of optimism and buoyancy” as he awaits the results of two by-elections which could have significant implications for his leadership.

Polls have closed in Wakefield and Tiverton and Honiton after contests triggered by Conservative MPs resigning in disgrace.

With Labour challenging in the red wall seat in West Yorkshire and the Liberal Democrats hoping to overturn a huge Conservative majority in Devon, defeat for the Tories could raise further questions about Johnson’s position, just weeks after 41% of his MPs said they did not have confidence in him.

The Prime Minister will be monitoring the results from Rwanda, where he is attending the Commonwealth leaders summit.

Speaking to broadcasters in the capital Kigali, the Prime Minister said: “I’m going to be watching the results with interest but always full of optimism and buoyancy but most seasoned political observers know that by-elections in mid-term are never necessarily easy for any government.”

He has suggested it would be “crazy”for him to quit if the party lost the two seats and claimed he was “very hopeful” about the results.

In Wakefield, ex-Conservative MP Imran Ahmad Khan quit after being found guilty of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old boy – a crime for which he was jailed for 18 months.

imran-ahmad-khan-court-case Former Conservative Wakefield MP Imran Ahmad Khan was convicted of molesting a teenage boy. Dominic Lipinski / PA Dominic Lipinski / PA / PA

Wakefield was one of the so-called red wall seats won by the Tories in the 2019 general election after being a Labour stronghold since the 1930s, but Labour is now hoping to take it back.

In Devon’s Tiverton and Honiton, Neil Parish, the Tory MP since 2010, resigned after admitting he had watched pornography on his phone in the House of Commons.

The Liberal Democrats are the main challenger in this rural south-western constituency, where they are hoping to recreate by-election wins in North Shropshire in December and Chesham and Amersham a year ago.

Victory for the Lib Dems would require overturning a Conservative majority of 24,239, but party leader Sir Ed Davey was confident they were “neck and neck” with the Tories on the eve of the vote.

Residents are “fed up of Boris Johnson’s lies and neglect,” he said, as he called on them to back his party’s candidate, former soldier Richard Foord.

“Farmers have been sold out by foreign trade deals, people are struggling to access GPs and dentists, and local roads and schools have been left to crumble.

“Families are facing soaring petrol bills and food prices and this government’s only answer is to hammer them with constant tax rises”.

The Prime Minister urged voters to “stick up for British food and farming” by supporting Tory Helen Hurford, a former head teacher.

In a video shared on social media on Wednesday, Mr Johnson appeared alongside the candidate on a farm, saying the party was working to protect “our fantastic food and farming industry and “amazing agricultural sector”.

Losing the Tory stronghold would be seen as a sign of Mr Johnson’s diminishing electoral appeal after partygate and amid the cost-of-living crisis, and could spark a further backlash against his authority.

The Tories face a steeper challenge in retaining the Wakefield seat, with Labour now odds-on favourites to overturn the 2019 Conservative majority of 3,358.

Tory candidate Nadeem Ahmed raised eyebrows by arguing last week that voters should still trust the party after Mr Khan’s sexual assault conviction, just as they still trust GPs despite the crimes of mass murderer Harold Shipman.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has said a victory in the northern constituency “could be the birthplace of the next Labour government”.

wakefield-by-election Labour leader Keir Starmer told supporters in Wakefield that a victory there could herald the next Labour government Dave Higgens / PA Dave Higgens / PA / PA

On the eve of polls opening, he said: “The public is fed up of Boris Johnson and a Conservative Party that promises big but never delivers.

“Labour’s candidate Simon Lightwood has run a positive campaign – with a plan to attract well-paid jobs and investment to Wakefield, put more police on the streets to tackle anti-social behaviour, and to fight for scrapping the unfair National Insurance rise.

“But a vote for anyone other than Labour will let Boris Johnson off the hook. The people of Wakefield have a chance to send a message to the Tories that enough is enough”.

If the Conservatives were to lose both by-elections, it would be only the seventh time a government has suffered such a double defeat since the Second World War.

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    Mute Ian O'Donovan
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    Jun 23rd 2022, 7:42 AM

    Anyone see Trade Unionist Mick Lynch eviserating any and all Tory politicians and interviewers yesterday, think the tide is turning against Johnson’s lies and scandals, fingers crossed.

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    Mute Brian Dunne
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    Jun 23rd 2022, 7:50 AM

    @Ian O’Donovan: he is brilliant! Rarely seen a more impressive public figure in britain

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    Mute Ian O'Donovan
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    Jun 23rd 2022, 8:00 AM

    @Brian Dunne: you could literally see Robert Jenrick’s soul leave his body when Lynch pointed out £500 million was given to the train operators that are subject to takeovers, well worth a watch lol.

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    Mute Tyrone Williams
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    Jun 23rd 2022, 1:24 PM

    @Ian O’Donovan: do you have a link to it?
    Thanks

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    Mute Gearoid Mc Amhlaidh
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    Jun 23rd 2022, 5:32 PM
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    Mute Paul Gorry
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    Jun 23rd 2022, 10:45 PM

    @Ian O’Donovan: mick lynch putting that narcissistic Kate burley in her place was majestic.

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    Mute Gareth Miskelly
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    Jun 23rd 2022, 11:04 PM

    @Paul Gorry: “I’m older than I look”…err if you say so…his stare was amazing

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    Mute Paul Gorry
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    Jun 23rd 2022, 11:46 PM

    @Gareth Miskelly: exactly Gareth vomit inducing stuff from the the great British newscaster off all time “in her head? His stare must go down in history because it deserves it. Not forgetting the fact Rte invited her on to the late late show a while back and even then she did nothing but commend herself. Horrible person. Shallow, shameful, narcissistic.And iam sticking to that.

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    Mute Great White Hope
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    Jun 23rd 2022, 7:58 AM

    Let’s hope Tories lose both. Heap more pressure on Johnson

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    Mute Paul Shepherd
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    Jun 23rd 2022, 9:22 AM

    @Great White Hope: won’t bother Bozo in the least. He’ll just put it down to mid term discontent from voters and blunder along with a few Latin phrases and meaningless sound bites.

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    Mute Valentine Kane
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    Jun 23rd 2022, 7:40 AM

    Torys need an awful ragging today, hopefully they will get it and more,

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    Mute FiannaFáilness FineGaelness
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    Jun 23rd 2022, 8:03 AM

    @Valentine Kane: Fingers crossed they lose their bollo…

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    Mute Vinylman_Teaboy
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    Jun 23rd 2022, 11:35 AM

    The age of politics is over, what we are watching is the farcical pantomime of its last days.

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    Mute Brian Farrell
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    Jun 23rd 2022, 7:41 AM

    Lib Dems could take both.

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    Mute Brian Madden
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    Jun 23rd 2022, 9:15 AM

    @Brian Farrell: Labour will take back Wakefield

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    Mute Brian Farrell
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    Jun 23rd 2022, 9:48 AM

    @Brian Madden: not so sure. Chatting to folk in Wakefield last week and Tonys and Labour weren’t too well thought of.

    Mind you, that’s only 20 or so in my straw poll.

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    Mute Pete Gilmartin
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    Jun 23rd 2022, 11:29 AM

    @Brian Farrell: Labour is up 20 points in opinion polls. You might want to incrrease that sample size a bit.

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    Mute Fergus Jones
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    Jun 23rd 2022, 9:32 AM

    The poor two tories only lost their seat for diddling with kids and watching porn in the commons , come on like Boris, give this party 12 more chances , reassuringly rich and thick.

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    Mute Theportobello
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    Jun 24th 2022, 1:10 AM

    Both defeats. Delicious. First part of the UK returning to sensibility

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    Mute Mick Tobin
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    Jun 23rd 2022, 10:31 PM

    Bojo is a pox, you could stick it on a wall (just one letter difference).

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    Mute Robert Boyd
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    Jun 23rd 2022, 10:51 PM

    Full of s*** more like

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    Mute Paul Shepherd
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    Jun 23rd 2022, 11:09 PM

    Full of optimism!! Full of sh*t more like.

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    Mute Chris Gaffney
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    Jun 24th 2022, 6:00 AM

    Poor boris is “full of” alright!

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    Mute Cormac McCann
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    Jun 24th 2022, 7:53 AM
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    Mute Pat O'Leary
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    Jun 24th 2022, 9:10 AM

    His optimism aged well…..

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