Rishi Sunak has insisted that his government’s “plan is working” as he urged voters to stick with the Conservatives in the wake of a devastating double by-election defeat.
The prime minister said the circumstances surrounding the by-elections in Kingswood and Wellingborough were “particularly challenging” as Labour overturned massive majorities of 11,220 and 18,540.
The results mean the government has now suffered the most by-election defeats of any government since the 1960s, surpassing the eight defeats suffered by John Major in the run-up to Tony Blair’s 1997 landslide victory.
The results provided Labour with a boost after a U-turn on the party’s pledge to spend £28 billion on green projects and an antisemitism row that forced it to drop its candidate for another by-election in Rochdale in two weeks’ time.
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer admitted the past week had been turbulent for the party as he told BBC Breakfast: “I did something that no leader of the Labour party has done before which is remove a candidate in a by-election where they cannot be replaced.”
Tories can still win general election if we unite – Rees-Mogg
The Conservative Party can still win the general election if it unites, former cabinet minister Jacob Rees-Mogg has insisted.
“If the Tory family unites it will win,” the North East Somerset MP wrote on X.
Earlier, Mr Rees-Mogg said that Rishi Sunak’s leadership was “solid” despite the double by-election losses in Wellingborough and Kingswood.
Speaking to the BBC, the right-leaning Tory MP said: “Rishi Sunak’s leadership is solid and has support and by-elections don’t change that.”
A plot to oust Mr Sunak by allies of Mr Rees-Mogg recently bubbled to the surface at the time of a crucial vote on his Rwanda legislation, but quickly fizzled out after being met with scorn from other prominent Tories.
Lord Frost says Tory vote is ‘collapsing’ as he calls on Sunak to adopt ‘more Conservative’ policies
Former Brexit minister and Rishi Sunak critic Lord David Frost has warned that the Conservative vote is “collapsing” and the government must now shift to “more conservative policy”, Zoe Grunewald reports.
Posting on social media site X, Lord Frost said: “In brief these by-elections show the same story as previous ones: former Conservative voters are simply not coming out and voting Conservative.“The Labour vote isn’t going up, but ours is collapsing.”
He added: “To get voters back we need a shift to more conservative policy, on tax and spend, immigration, net zero, public sector reform, and more. It’s late, but not – yet – too late.”
New Conservatives call on Sunak to change course following ‘unequivocal byelection defeats
A right-wing faction of Conservative MPs – known as the New Conservatives – have called for Rishi Sunak to “change course” and “adapt to the reality that the by-elections reveal”, Zoe Grunewald reports.
In a public statement, co-chairs of the group Danny Kruger MP and Miriam Cates MP said that government policy so far “is plainly not enough”.
“All of this is plainly not enough. In 2019 the British people voted for change, and they haven’t seen it yet. We have many good excuses – the disruptions and distractions of Brexit, Covid and the Ukraine war – but so far, we have not delivered on the promises we made at the last election.”
They called for the government to repeal the Human Rights Act if foreign courts stop illegal migration plans, introduce further cuts to legal migration, reform the welfare state and cut taxes.
They state: “There is still time – but our Party must change course. We are calling on the Government to adapt to the reality that the by-elections reveal. Our target voters want a different and a better offer.”
Danny Kruger MP and Miriam Cates MP
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Danny Kruger MP and Miriam Cates MP
Labour’s new MP for Wellingborough spotted in constituency after byelection victory
Gen Kitchen has been pictured out and about in her constituency after winning the Wellingborough byelection.
Ms Kitchen beat the Conservative candidate Helen Harrison, the partner of ousted former MP Peter Bone, by 6,000 votes, with a swing of 28.5 per cent.
Kingswood and Wellinborough byelections in charts and graphs
Sunak urged to hold election in May after bruising by-election defeat
A former cabinet minister said Rishi Sunak should call an election in May.
“It is our best chance of getting most (Tory MPs) back,” they told The Independent. “Otherwise it will seem like we are just holding on”.
A vote for Reform is a vote for Starmer, says Rishi Sunak
Rishi Sunak has told voters that a cross for Reform UK on the ballot paper is a vote for Sir Keir Starmer, as the party claimed third place in both of last night’s by-elections.
The PM said the “actual choice” at the general election is “between me and him”, referring to the Labour leader.
Reform gained 13 per cent of the vote in Wellingborough and 10 per cent in Kingswood, with the party leader Richard Tice stating it is “solidifying” itself as the third-largest political party in the UK.
Following the double by-election defeat, when Mr Sunak was asked whether he was more concerned about Reform UK or Labour during a visit to Harlow, Essex, he said: “A vote for anyone who isn’t the Conservative candidate, whether that’s Reform or anyone else, is just a vote to put Keir Starmer in power.
“That’s the actual choice at the general election, between me and him, between the Conservatives and Labour.
“Now I believe our plan is working. At the start of this year we’re heading in the right direction, taxes are coming down, inflation is falling, and if we stick with that plan we can deliver everyone a brighter future.”
‘Last chance saloon’ to change course by ousting Sunak, Tory MP claims
Tory MP Andrea Jenkyns has repeated her call for Rishi Sunak to be replaced as leader.
She warned her party that “sticking heads in the sand will make matters worse”.
She wrote on X: “However difficult for fellow MPs we have no choice, we have to change leader. We don’t want to be here but sticking heads in the sand will make matters worse.
“Last chance saloon to change course with a new leader, be tough on immigration & save our great country from the socialists.”
Sunak’s leadership ‘solid’ despite by-election losses, says Rees-Mogg
Rishi Sunak’s leadership is “solid” despite the double by-election losses in Wellingborough and Kingswood, former minister Jacob Rees-Mogg has said.
Speaking to the BBC, the right-leaning Tory MP said: “Rishi Sunak’s leadership is solid and has support and by-elections don’t change that.”
A plot to oust Mr Sunak by allies of Mr Rees-Mogg recently bubbled to the surface at the time of a crucial vote on his Rwanda legislation, but quickly fizzled out after being met with scorn from other prominent Tories.
