Voters head to the polls in by-elections being held in Wakefield and Tiverton and Honiton

Politics

Voters will head to the polls this morning in two crucial by-elections that are seen as a key test for Boris Johnson’s leadership.

In Wakefield, a former industrial area in West Yorkshire, the election was triggered by the resignation of Imran Ahmad Khan.

Wakefield was one of the so-called Red Wall seats won by the Tories in the 2019 general election after being a Labour stronghold since the 1930s, but Labour is now hoping to take it back.

In Devon’s Tiverton & Honiton constituency, Neil Parish – the Tory MP since 2010 – also stepped down earlier this year.

The Liberal Democrats are the main challenger in this rural south-western constituency, where they are hoping to recreate by-election wins in North Shropshire in December and Chesham and Amersham a year ago.

But victory for the Lib Dems would require overturning a Conservative majority of 24,239.

Articles You May Like

HMS Prince of Wales begins deployment
Trump, Zelenskyy, Biden, Prince William and world leaders arrive at the funeral of Pope Francis
Clooney has his eyes on a particular governor to lead Democrats
George Clooney reveals what Amal thinks of his dyed hair
Pandora Papers: Document leak reveals secrets of how the powerful stash their cash