North Shropshire by-election: Lib Dems beat Conservatives in bruising loss for Boris Johnson

The Liberal Democrats have overturned a huge Tory majority to win the North Shropshire by-election in a seismic victory that will pile further pressure on Boris Johnson.

Seizing what had been an ultra-safe constituency from the Conservatives, Lib Dem Helen Morgan won by a stunning 5,925 votes in the ballot triggered by the resignation of Owen Paterson.

The former minister had a near-23,000 majority in the 2019 general election when the Prime Minister 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.

Lib Dems taunted the Prime Minister by telling him “the party’s over”.