The June 23rd by-elections – what happened at GE2019
You have to go back to November 7th 1991 to find a day when the Tories lost two Westminster by-elections on the same day. These were the LAB gain of Langbaurgh and the LD gain of Kincardine and Deeside. These were the last by-elections of the 1987-1992 Parliament. John Major went to the country five months later and won a surprise small majority winning back these two seats in the process.
As to the latest contests you can no longer bet on Labour in Wakefield while the LDs are given a 71% chance on the betting exchanges of taking the seat from the Tories.
It is the latter that has seen the most activity and commentary with the big question of whether Davey’s party can pull off another sensational victory that would bring to three the number of by-election gains the LDs have made from the Tories in little over a year.
I think the numbers are going to be very important. How big an anti-CON swing will be recorded in each seat.
No doubt Johnson has a big initiative of some kind planned for Friday in order to change the subject.