Tories brace for 'tough' day as polls open in English byelections

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak used his end-of-term address to the Conservative Party’s 1922 Committee to prepare members for a “tough battle” in a series of byelections taking place today.

Voting is taking place in three byelections in England, with the Tories widely expected to lose all three.

Labour has its sights set on the Uxbridge and South Ruislip seat vacated by former prime minister Boris Johnson, who quit in June after the House of Commons privileges committee found he had lied to parliament over Partygate.

Keir Starmer’s party is also targeting Selby and Ainsty, which was held by Johnson ally Nigel Adams, who resigned after his name did not appear on Johnson’s resignation honours list.

The Liberal Democrats are hoping to win the Somerton and Frome seat, which had been held by David Warburton since 2015.

Warburton was suspended from the Conservative Party in April 2022 following allegations of sexual misconduct and announced his departure last month saying the intervening period had been “extraordinarily difficult”.

A total of 17 candidates are contesting Johnson’s old seat, with 13 in Selby and Ainsty and eight in Somerset and Frome.

Speaking to the 1922 Committee last night, Sunak conceded it was going to be a tough day for the party but urged his party to pull together to fight the next General Election, which is expected to take place next year.

Promising to lay out a “full-spectrum modern Conservative” programme after the summer recess, Sunak said: “When we come back in September we have a choice to make, all of us.

“Do we come together and throw everything at winning the next election or not? I’ve made my choice – I’m all in with you to win.

“I promise you we can do this but we can only do it together as one team.”