The by-elections show the mood of the British government: For the Tories, the result was not as bad as expected. Labor was able to clear away some – and the LibDems also turned out to be an important force.
After this election day there is something for everyone. For the Liberal Democrats, for example, candidate Sarah Dyke defeated the Conservatives in the Somerton and Frome constituency. “It’s a fantastic result,” deputy party leader Daisy Cooper said on the BBC.
In the north of England, Labor was able to clear away. Tailwind for a party that wants to appoint the prime minister in 2024 and finally wants to end its time in opposition. Labor can win again, said 25-year-old winner in Selby and Ainsty, Keir Mather, as the results came in.
Keir Mather, winner of the by-elections and Labor Party candidate, speaks at the Selby Leisure Center after the results of the Selby and Ainsty by-elections were announced.
Relief for the Conservatives
And even the Conservatives – also known as the Tories – are somehow relieved that the gossip wasn’t quite as bad. At least they were able to hold the west London constituency where Boris Johnson resigned. With a majority of just 495 – but still.
Nobody expected that the conservatives could win here, said Prime Minister Rishi Sunak: “When it matters, when there is an important issue, people vote conservatively.”
And this topic was quite obviously the expansion of the environmental zone for drivers. Many motorists in Uxbridge fear higher costs and driving bans. They blame London Mayor Sadiq Kahn of the Labor Party. Irony of history: It was Boris Johnson who, as mayor of London, once introduced the environmental zone.
LibDems as a major force
And the lessons of the election? Very different: The Liberal Democrats are a major force in the UK. In many rural areas where Labor simply cannot gain a foothold, the natural opposition is called LibDems. There could even be a coalition between Labor and the LibDems in 2024 if Labor fails to secure its own majority.
In terms of content, the Liberal Democrats are now further away from the Conservatives than Labour. The LibDems called for an excess profit tax for energy companies very early on in order to mitigate the price increases for the citizens. The party is pro-Europe, wants closer ties to the European Union and is “suspected” by many Britons of pushing for re-entry, which the party does not advocate.
Wake-up call for Labour
For Labour, the election result is a wake-up call: it is not enough to rely solely on the scandals and the mistakes of the Conservatives. It lacks the vision, the difference to the Tories. In many political goals, Labor politicians sound like the Conservatives: party leader Keir Starmer resists efforts to pour out the socio-political cornucopia after the 2024 election – with reference to strict fiscal policy – a rejection.
Brexit is taken for granted and is not questioned, although numerous effects that Labor would have to deal with as the party in government are weighing on the economy.
Tired of Tory scandals
The Tories can breathe easy. The ugly debate about the party leadership, even panic reactions to save what can be saved – the conservatives and Rishi Sunak could be spared this debate. But the prospects remain bleak: the voters want a change of government, they are annoyed by the moral failings, lies and scandals of the Tories. Sunak’s approval ratings are poor.
There are also numerous construction sites: Although inflation has fallen recently, consumer and energy prices remain at a high level. Waiting times in the NHS health service are to be reduced, the prime minister has promised, but they are becoming longer and longer. He doesn’t have much time left to keep the promises that Sunak repeats so often.