Lib Dems thrash Tories in parliamentary by-election in North Shropshire

[Emrys]

North Shropshire: Lib Dems shock win as Tory by-election defeat piles pressure on Johnson

The Conservatives have lost the North Shropshire by-election, a shock result that will put more pressure on Boris Johnson after a difficult few weeks for the prime minister.

Lib Dem candidate Helen Morgan triumphed in the contest sparked by the resignation of Owen Paterson amid a lobbying scandal.

She polled 17,957 votes, ahead of Tory candidate Neil Shastri-Hurst on 12,032.

Labour's Ben Wood was third with 3,686 votes.

https://news.sky.com/story/north-shropshire-lib-dems-shock-win-as-tory-by-election-defeat-piles-pressure-on-johnson-12497814

Link to tweet

Shropshire Council
@ShropCouncil

Here’s the official vote figures - we will tweet out a link as soon as possible.

Link to tweet

Lewis Goodall
@lewis_goodall

NEW: 🚨 LIB DEMS OVERTURN 23000 TORY MAJ AND WIN NORTH SHROPSHIRE BY A BIG MAJORITY🚨

Lib Dems: 17957
Con: 12032
Labour: 3686
Reform: 1427
Green: 1738

Maj: 5925

An enormous victory for the Lib Dems and a bodyblow for the Prime Minister.

So a Tory majority of 23,000 became a Lib Dem majority of nearly 6,000 in a seat the Tories have held for almost 200 years.

[Emrys]

1. Here's the initial coverage in the Telegraph,

which Johnson's referred to in the past as his "boss":

North Shropshire by-election: Tories lose to Lib Dems in stunning humiliation

Humiliating defeat for Tories who had held the seat for almost 200 years

...
The North Shropshire seat has returned a Conservative MP since 1830. It will prove a humiliating defeat for the Tories and will be regarded by many as a referendum on Boris Johnson’s leadership.
...
'Boris, the party is over'

In her victory speech, Ms Morgan said the people of Shropshire have spoken and said: "Boris Johnson, the party is over".
...
Christine Jardine, the Lib Dem Treasury spokesman who was at the count in Shrewsbury Sports Village, told The Telegraph it was clear "people from Buckingham to North Shropshire, safe Tory areas, are dissatisfied and are looking for alternatives and are coming to us".
...
Ms Jardine added that the "final straw" for North Shropshire voters "was the shenanigans in Downing Street", regarding allegations of parties held at Downing Street last Christmas.
...
PM's Peppa Pig gaffe cut through with voters

Earlier this week Lib Dem sources told The Telegraph that Boris Johnson’s recent Peppa Pig gaffe ..., which saw him lose his speech notes and appear to speak at random about the animation at a CBI event, had “cut through on the doorstep”, along with the Conservatives plans to make changes to the subsidy payments of farmers.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2021/12/17/north-shropshire-election-result-tories-lose-lib-dems-win-labour/

[EarlG]

2. A bombshell result

That was a very safe Tory seat.

[Emrys]

3. It certainly is!

And exquisitely timed after Johnson's had a hell of a few weeks in the media, starting with the idiotic attempt to basically abolish parliamentary standards which links to tonight's by-election, ranging through continuing revelations about various illicit Christmas and other parties last year, and this week's vote to bring in more stringent anti-COVID measures which led to a major rebellion among his MPs.

I'll be surprised if the 1922 Committee doesn't receive quite a few letters calling for a Tory leadership election from disgruntled/terrified Tory MPs tomorrow.

[EarlG]

4. Tory frontbenchers right now

[Emrys]

5. ...

[EarlG]

9. Lol

[Emrys]

6. Helen Morgan's acceptance speech:

Link to tweet

BBC Breakfast
@BBCBreakfast

"Boris Johnson, the party's over"
The new Liberal Democrat MP for North Shropshire, Helen Morgan, says their shock victory in the by-election speaks for the mood of the whole country:

[Twitter video]

More here: https://bbc.in/3maf3YI

[Soph0571]

7. What a spanking!

LOL

[Ghost Dog]

8. He is bored and wants to move on, now he has stashed offshore

billions. The Party will likely place Patel, a true fascist with solid Zionist support, in the PM slot.