For the Tories, the by-election in west London seems to have gone off lightly: the constituency of Uxbridge and South Ruislip is still represented conservatively – but the race was so close that a recount was necessary on Friday night.
The election was necessary because former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson resigned in protest at the results of an inquiry into his statements in Parliament in early June.
Johnson’s successor is now Steve Tuckwell, with a majority of just 495 votes. Tuckwell also credits his narrow victory to the work of London’s Labor Mayor Sadiq Khan, whose plans to clean up the air in London should also hit the constituency of Uxbridge and South Ruislip. Khan wants to expand the environmental zone – ULEZ, which stands for “Ultra Low Emission Zone”. Then motorists in this area would have to pay a fee if their vehicles did not meet strict criteria – currently that is £12.50 per day.
In contrast, the Tories lost significantly in two other constituencies; in Somerton and Frome even with the worst result in their history, like the British one Guardians writes. Sarah Dyke, the Liberal Democrat candidate, wins the constituency in the western English county of Somerset by a margin of 10,000 votes.
Keir Mather, just 25 years old, wins in the Selby and Ainsty district of North Yorkshire. With a lead of more than 4,000 votes, he is now the youngest MP in Westminster. A “historic result” for Labor leader Keir Starmer.