London, Feb 16
UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has suffered a double-blow after losing two by-elections to Labour Party, overturning significant majorities in both, the media reported.
Both Kingswood and Wellingborough turned from blue to red, meaning this government has seen the most by-election losses of any Conservative administration since the Second World War, Sky News reported.
The losses do not bode well as Downing Street continues its preparation for the general election due this year.
The results also provide some relief for Keir Starmer after a challenging week for the Labour leader, having scaled back his party’s green investment plan and been embroiled in an anti-semitism crisis.
Labour’s wins in Kingswood and Wellingborough mean the Conservatives have now lost 10 by-elections in the course of this Parliament – two more than the eight defeats suffered by the 1992-97 Conservative administration led by John Major, The Guardian reported.
It means the Conservative government has lost more by-elections than any previous government since the 1966-70 Labour administration of Harold Wilson, which endured 15 losses, The Guardian reported.
The size of the majority Labour overturned at Wellingborough — 18,540 — is the third biggest Tory majority the party has overturned at a by-election since the war, behind those in Mid Bedfordshire in October 2023 (24,664) and Selby & Ainsty in July 2023 (20,137).
