(Updated with statements from Johnson)
by William James
LONDON, December 17 (Reuters) – British Prime Minister Boris Johnson took personal responsibility for the Conservative Party’s electoral defeat in one of its strongholds on Friday after a series of scandals rocked Downing Street.
Center Liberal Democrat candidate Helen Morgan came out on Thursday with nearly 6,000 votes ahead in the Tories’ by-election in rural North Shropshire in central England for almost two centuries.
“Obviously this is a very disappointing result and I fully understand the voters’ frustrations. I hear what they are saying in North Shropshire and with all humility I have to accept this verdict. Of course. , I hold myself personally responsible, “Boris Johnson told reporters.
This setback was interpreted by the leader of the Tories, Oliver Dowden, as a sign of the “fed up” of the voters.
It comes as Boris Johnson, already facing an outbreak of the COVID-19 epidemic fueled by the Omicron variant, is weakened by a series of scandals, including press reports reporting Christmas celebrations in Downing Street there. is one year old, when the country was under severe restrictions.
“Tonight the people of North Shropshire spoke on behalf of all Brits. They said it very clearly: ‘Boris Johnson, the party is over,'” said Helen Morgan in her victory speech.
“Our country demands leadership. Mr Johnson, you are not a leader,” she added.
MESSAGE RECEIVED
“The voters of North Shropshire were fed up and gave us a big kick,” Tories leader Oliver Dowden told Sky.
“I think they wanted to send a message to us and I want to say that we clearly heard it,” he added.
While early elections are usually the way voters challenge the ruling party, the scale of the LibDems candidate’s victory suggests that discontent with Boris Johnson’s government is deeply rooted.
Nationally, opinion polls suggest that the Tories are falling behind Labor, after controversies over the funding arrangements for the renovation of Boris Johnson’s Downing Street apartment, the parties organized by his services during periods of confinement, relations between elected officials and lobbyists, or even the contested management of the health crisis.
The early poll in the constituency of North Shropshire was staged after the resignation last month of the previous seat holder, Tory Owen Paterson, who an inquiry found to have been paid for lobbying actions, which is prohibited .
On the political level, this electoral slap comes on top of the recent difficulties encountered by the Prime Minister within his own camp. Boris Johnson has just suffered the worst revolt of elected Conservatives in Westminster Parliament, with around 100 voting against the latest health restrictions.
Boris Johnson still has a large majority in Parliament after his large victory in 2019 on his promise to complete Brexit.
The next legislative elections are scheduled for 2024 in the United Kingdom. (William James report, Myriam Rivet and Jean-Stéphane Brosse version, edited by Nicolas Delame and Sophie Louet)