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Rishi Sunak and the Conservatives face a battle to retain three seats in parliament, where by-elections are held today.
Voters headed to Boris Johnson’s former home Uxbridge and South Ruislip, as well as polling stations for Selby and Ainsty in North Yorkshire and Somerton and Frome in Somerset.
Here’s everything you need to know about the election and when the results are expected.
Where will the by-election be held?
Voting has begun for the three seats in Congress, where by-elections will be held today. The contested seats are:
- Uxbridge and South RuislipJohnson’s old home in the west London suburbs is in a race for a spot after he resigned after reports he misled parliament over the ‘partygate’ scandal. Labor wants to overturn the Conservative majority of 7,210 votes. Strong local opposition to London Labor Mayor Sadiq Khan’s expansion of London’s ultra-low emission zones could be a deciding factor in the vote.
- Selby and Ainstey: The North Yorkshire constituency, with a majority of 20,137, is the safest Conservative seat contested today. Both Labor and Conservatives say the vote will be close. If Labour wins, it would be evidence that support for the party is growing outside of cities and former industrial centers. The seat was vacated by the resignation of Mr Johnson’s ally Nigel Adams.
- Somerton and Fromm: The Southwest seat is also traditionally a safe seat for Conservatives, with a majority of 19,213. But many believe this district is the most likely to be reversed, and the Liberal Democrats hope they can replicate the successes of last year’s Tiverton and Honiton by-elections. The election was sparked by David Warburton’s resignation after admitting to using cocaine amid sexual harassment allegations.
At a meeting of the 1922 Conservative Rear Committee on the eve of the vote, the Prime Minister braced himself that MPs would face a “hard battle” for all three seats.
He said the ruling party rarely wins in by-elections, but has vowed to “throw everything” to win the next general election, urging lawmakers to stand together even if they lose.
A Conservative defeat in either party would be the first time in 55 years that the government has lost three by-elections on the same day.
Conservative back venturer Jonathan Garris told reporters outside the conference that the problem was not public support for Labor leader Sir Keir Starmer but “indifferent Conservative voters”.
Lord Kere’s spokesman downplayed the Labor Party’s chances, saying Mr Uxbridge didn’t win in a landslide victory in 1997 and Mr Selby saying he needed his party’s best by-election results after World War II.
Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey said: “Today voters in Somerton and Frome have a chance to send a clear message that the Conservatives have failed our country in protecting the NHS, the cost of living crisis and protecting rural communities.”
“If the Liberal Democrats succeed in overthrowing the majority of this 19,000-member Conservative Party, it will prove that Somerset voters are tired of being taken for granted by Rishi Sunak and his failed government.”
What time will the results be announced?
Voting will close at 10pm tonight, after which the counting will begin.
Results start coming in anytime from 3am and the winner could be known in the morning.