The Liberal Democrats overturned a huge Tory majority to win the North Shropshire by-election in a seismic victory that will pile further pressure on Boris Johnson
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Conservative Party chairman Oliver Dowden insisted Boris Johnson was still an “electoral asset” for the Tories.
He said: “Yes, I think the Prime Minister is an electoral asset for the Conservative Party, and I’ll tell you why.
“Just take the three really big calls we’ve faced. Get Brexit done: he’s delivered on it. We’ve delivered the fastest booster programme in the world twice over and we’ve seen the economy through this terrible period, with unemployment lower than when we entered.
“So I think actually on the big calls the Prime Minister has the vision and the direction to get us through this difficult period.”
It comes after Liberal Democrats overturned a huge Tory majority to win the North Shropshire by-election in a seismic victory that will pile further pressure on Boris Johnson.
In one of the most comprehensive by-election defeats in recent decades, the Conservatives lost what was an ultra-safe seat to Lib Dem Helen Morgan by 5,925 votes.
The Prime Minister’s authority was dealt another blow with the swing to the Lib Dems a massive 34% in the ballot triggered by the resignation of Owen Paterson.
The former minister had a near-23,000 majority in the West Midlands constituency in the 2019 general election when the Mr Johnson achieved a landslide, but support evaporated as the Tories battle damning allegations on multiple fronts.
Not only was the vote triggered by the sleaze scandal centred on Mr Paterson, it came after the beleaguered Prime Minister has been battered by claims of lockdown-breaching parties in Downing Street.
And the defeat will cap a torrid week that included the massive rebellion Conservative backbenchers dealt Mr Johnson on Tuesday over his new coronavirus restrictions as the Omicron variant surged.
Ms Morgan won 17,957 votes, trouncing Tory candidate Neil Shastri-Hurst into second on 12,032.
“Tonight, the people of North Shropshire have spoken on behalf of the British people. They have said loudly and clearly, ‘Boris Johnson, the party is over’,” Ms Morgan said in her victory speech.
“Your Government, run on lies and bluster, will be held accountable. It will be scrutinised, it will be challenged and it can and will be defeated.”
North Shropshire had returned a Tory MP in every vote since 1983, which was the constituency’s first election in its current form.
Leaving the election count in defeat, Mr Shastri-Hurst was asked if the Prime Minister was to blame for the dismal result.
“We’ve run a positive campaign here, I’m extremely proud of the work that everybody’s done. Of course it’s a disappointing result for us,” he told reporters.
Asked if the party needs to change, he said: “We’re 11 years into a Conservative Government, by-elections are never an easy thing to do.”
