Prime Minister expresses optimism despite challenging circumstances in Wakefield and Tiverton and Honiton.

As the polls closed in the critical by-elections in Wakefield and Tiverton and Honiton, Boris Johnson maintained his optimism, acknowledging that mid-term elections are always a tough challenge for any government.

The contests were triggered by the resignation of Conservative MPs under scandalous circumstances. In Wakefield, Labour is hoping to reclaim a seat that was previously a stronghold, while in Tiverton and Honiton, the Liberal Democrats are aiming to overturn a significant Conservative majority.

Johnson, speaking from Kigali where he is attending the Commonwealth leaders’ summit, said he was “full of optimism and buoyancy” as he awaited the results, even though he conceded that mid-term by-elections are never straightforward for any ruling party. “I’m watching with interest but always optimistic,” he told broadcasters.

Although Johnson remained hopeful, a senior Tory source acknowledged the difficult position the party faced in Devon, and a Labour campaign official in Wakefield suggested that the party was on the verge of victory.

Wakefield’s by-election followed the resignation of Imran Ahmad Khan, who was jailed for sexually assaulting a 15-year-old boy. Labour is eager to win back the seat, which had been a Labour stronghold for decades before it flipped to the Tories in 2019.

In Tiverton and Honiton, Neil Parish stepped down after admitting to watching pornography on his phone in the House of Commons. The Liberal Democrats are hoping to replicate their by-election successes in North Shropshire and Chesham and Amersham. However, they face a challenging task, with a Conservative majority of over 24,000 to overturn. Despite this, Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey expressed confidence, saying that the two parties were “neck and neck.”

Davey highlighted dissatisfaction with Johnson’s leadership, claiming that voters in the constituency were “fed up of Boris Johnson’s lies and neglect.” He called on them to back Lib Dem candidate Richard Foord, citing issues such as rising petrol bills, failing public services, and an increasingly strained farming industry under the current government.

Meanwhile, Johnson urged voters to support the Conservative candidate in Tiverton and Honiton, Helen Hurford, emphasising the party’s commitment to supporting the farming industry and British agriculture. In a video shared online, Johnson appeared alongside Hurford at a farm, promoting policies aimed at protecting the agricultural sector.

The outcome of these by-elections could have significant ramifications for Johnson’s leadership, particularly following the partygate scandal and amid the ongoing cost-of-living crisis. Losing both seats would be a blow to the Conservatives, and such an outcome would mark only the seventh time since World War II that a governing party has suffered defeats in two by-elections on the same day.

In Wakefield, the Conservatives are facing an uphill battle. Labour is now seen as the favourite to win the seat, with Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer declaring that a victory in Wakefield could mark the beginning of a new Labour government. Starmer called the Tories’ promises “empty” and emphasised that Labour’s positive campaign centred on job creation, public safety, and reversing unfair tax hikes.

Should the Conservatives lose both seats, it would signal further trouble for Johnson, whose leadership has been under increasing scrutiny.