Boris Johnson cannot deny that he offered the best job to Carrie Symonds
Votes are being counted in two by-elections triggered by the resignations of disgraced Conservative MPs.
At 10 p.m. Thursday, polls closed for by-elections at Wakefield and Tiverton & Honiton.
In the Wakefield constituency, Imran Ahmad Khan resigned as a deputy last month after being convicted of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old boy at a party in 2008.
Also in May, Neil Parish resigned as a Tiverton & Honiton MP after admitting to having seen porn on his phone in the House of Commons on two different occasions.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he was “full of optimism and dynamism” ahead of the by-election results.
Speaking to broadcasters in Rwanda’s capital, Kigali, he said: “I will see the results with interest, but always full of optimism and dynamism, but most experienced political observers know that the midterm elections will never they are necessarily easy for anyone. government. ”
Key points
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Case says he had conversations about the roles of Carrie Johnson
Simon Case has admitted that he held “an informal conversation” with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s charity about possible “opportunities” for Boris Johnson’s wife, Carrie.
The Cabinet Secretary revealed that in 2020 a former member of the No. 10 team asked him to ask the Royal Foundation about a position on the Earthshot Award for Mr Johnson’s then-fiancé.
But Mr Case, who has close ties to the Duke of Cambridge, being his former private secretary, insisted he had not endorsed him for any paid work.
Lamiat Sabin June 24, 2022 2:00 p.m.
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Electoral turnout in the Tiverton and Honiton by-elections is 52.3 percent
The turnout in the Tiverton and Honiton by-elections was 52.3%, for a total of 42,707 votes.
Holly Bancroft June 24, 2022 1:59 AM
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Work in Wakefield: “The first very positive signs”
A Labor source on the ground in Wakefield said: “The first signs are very positive and suggest that lifelong Conservative voters and those we lost in 2019 are voting Labor, showing the progress we have made.”
Katy Clifton June 24, 2022 1:51 AM
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Turnout figures for the Tiverton and Honiton by-elections are expected soon and the verification of votes will be over soon.
The turnout is expected to be above 52 per cent, according to Mid Devon council.
Things look positive for the Liberal Democrats, with Treasury spokeswoman Christine Jardine saying there are “some good signs” in Tiverton.
Holly Bancroft June 24, 2022 1:48 AM
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Pictured: Tiverton and Honiton by-elections are counted
(PA)
(PA)
(PA)
Holly Bancroft June 24, 2022 1:44 AM
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Wakefield’s turnout fell 25% from the 2019 general election
The turnout in the Wakefield by-election was 39.09%, the Wakefield Council said.
Some 27,205 verified ballots were issued out of a total electorate of 69,601.
The turnout in the 2019 general election was 64.15%.
Match officials are watching the count at Wakefield’s Thornes Park Stadium
(PA)
Katy Clifton June 24, 2022 1:15 p.m.
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Conservative MP: “We are fighting this election in really difficult circumstances”
Luke Hall, a Conservative MP from Thornbury and Yale, speaking from the count, has admitted that his party “is fighting these elections in really challenging circumstances”.
He said the Conservatives have done a “really positive campaign in Tiverton and Honiton.”
Referring to Conservative candidate Helen Hurford, she added: “He’s been at the door for the last few months, talking to people about the issues that really matter at the door.
“The problems that are really happening at the door, such as the steps we are taking on the cost of living, such as the important steps we are taking to help farmers in the rural economy, such as the important steps we are taking to put more cops on the street. “
Holly Bancroft June 24, 2022 1:02 AM
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“All Southern Conservative MPs should look over their shoulders”
Christine Jardine, spokeswoman for the Lib Dem treasury and MP for Edinburgh, said Conservative MPs in the south of England should “look over their shoulder” at the growing political threat of the Lib Dems.
He added: “We have lost two by – elections, we have yet to see what will happen here.
“Farmers are unhappy, they feel abandoned by the government. The ambulance wait times in Devon are horrible – people are not happy with these issues. What they want is a deputy to defend them and Richard has been doing a fantastic campaign.
“People are also frankly fed up with this Conservative government: they are not facing the cost of living crisis, they are not facing energy prices. They had to crawl by kicking and shouting at an extraordinary tax “.
Ms Jardine said voters were talking about economics and Partygate at the door. “People are specifically unhappy with Boris Johnson. Now it’s up to the Conservative MPs to decide. No matter what happens tonight, they see their support diminish.”
Christine Jardine MP to Tiverton count
(PA)
“Conservatives have thrown the kitchen sink in this place,” he added. “Towards the end one could not walk down Tiverton’s main street without coming across a cabinet minister.”
“You could argue that North Shrophshire and Cheshire and Amersham caught them a little by surprise. This time they knew we were going to have a tough campaign.”
Ms Jardine said the Lib Dems only need a ten per cent swing “to put us at a distance of 30 Conservative seats”.
“All Conservative MPs in the south of England should look over their shoulder, because a ten per cent swing would eliminate many.”
Holly Bancroft June 24, 2022 12:47 AM
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“Turn to Lib Dems in the Devon by-election,” the MP says
Christine Jardine said there has been a “significant swing” of the Liberal Democrats in the Tiverton and Honiton by-elections.
Lib Dem MP for Edinburgh West attended the vote count on Thursday night, where she spoke to The Independent about the party’s expectations.
But he said it had yet to be seen if it had been significant enough to overturn most of the 24,000 Conservatives.
Liberal Democrat MP Christine Jardine
(Aaron Chown / PA)
Ms Jardine said: “The Conservatives only have 40 safer seats than Tiverton and Honiton. We are calling for the biggest change in by-election history.”
However, Ms Jardine insisted: “We have run a fantastic campaign and this significant change tells us that voters are coming to us from the Conservative Party.
“People are unhappy with the Conservative Party, so no matter what happens at the end of the day, there is a message for Boris Johnson: they are losing votes, they are bleeding votes from us.”
Holly Bancroft June 24, 2022 12:30 AM
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Ballot boxes arrive at Tiverton & Honiton count
(Holly Bancroft)
Lamiat Sabin June 24, 2022 12:01 AM