tonight, the for wakefield. tonight, the people of wakefield have spoken on behalf of the british people. they have said unreservedly borisjohnson, unreservedly boris johnson, your contempt for this unreservedly borisjohnson, your contempt for this country is no longer... your contempt for this country is no longer. . ._ your contempt for this country is no longer... welcome to our viewers on _ is no longer... welcome to our viewers on pbs _ is no longer... welcome to our viewers on pbs and, _ is no longer... welcome to our viewers on pbs and, indeed, i viewers on pbs and, indeed, around the world on bbc world news as we bring you special coverage of two key by—elections, the first one of which in wakefield hasjust been declared, one by labour, and this is the winning candidate, simon lightwood. it is not acceptable that people leave emergency every month and not treated because of record waiting times and it is not acceptable that convictions for crimes like robbery have fallen by almost half in the past five years. people in wakefield and around the country are sick of the deceit and dishonesty of this

government. these are testing times for our country. our in a dangerous date right now. people are being hit by a tory cost of living crisis which these energy bills for, petrol and food prices skyrocket and the food budget stretched to breaking point. in this election, we offered a vision that was positive, full of hope and aspiration, guided by the principle that politics should be based on creating a better country for us all.— country for us all. and now auoin country for us all. and now going straight _ country for us all. and now going straight over - country for us all. and now going straight over to - country for us all. and now. going straight over to tiverton and honiton because we are about to get the result from the returning officer. i. the returning officer. i, richard _ the returning officer. i, richard youngman, being the returning officer do hereby give notice that the number of votes recorded for each candidate at the set election is as follows: donahue morgan,

jordan, heritage party, 167. applause andrewjohn, commonly known as and he, reform uk, 1181. known as and he, reform uk, 481. �* �* ., known as and he, reform uk, 481. �* �* ,, ., . ., 481. applause ford, richard john, 481. applause ford, richard john. liberal— 481. applause ford, richard john, liberal democrats, - 481. applause ford, richard i john, liberal democrats, 22500 and... (cheering) hurford, helen, the conservative party candidate, 16,393. applause

gwendolyn elizabeth, liz pohl, labor party, 1562. applause ruffalo, francesco robert, commonly known as frankie ruffalo, the four britain movement, 146.- ruffalo, the four britain movement, 146. yes! applause walker, benjamin _ movement, 146. yes! applause walker, benjamin lee, commonly known as ben walker, uk independence party, 241. applause. wescott, gillian

margaret, commonly known as jill wescott, the green party, 1064. applause. the number of ballot papers rejected was 113. the turnout was 52.3%. i do hereby declare that richard john ford is duly elected. when i turnaround that is in terms of result! i know you are doing the calculations but you are blowing and whistling and amazed at that. yes, it is a stunning result. it is notjust a win for the liberal democrats, it is a thumping. this is a seat that had a majority of 24,000 at 2019 election and 60% of the

vote, one of the safest conservative seats in the country and it has been a conservative seat for a century or longer. a remarkable result, coming off the back of two other remarkable results and i laboured victories of adult .7% swing. this is the lib dem candidate. is having a little bit of a problem with the microphone but probably not awkward given the result is about to refer to and address in course of his diary remarks. address in course of his diary remarke— remarks. interesting also to oint remarks. interesting also to point out. — remarks. interesting also to point out, later— remarks. interesting also to point out, later getting - remarks. interesting also to| point out, later getting 1500 votes in tiverton. i would like to thank the returning officer, her staff and my fellow

candidates and everybody here for a very well run election and account. to my wife, kate, and account. to my wife, kate, and our three wonderful children. thank you. i could not have done this without your love. i would like to thank my election agent, simon drayage and my incredible campaign team, local party members and liberal democrat supporters here in tiverton and honiton and thousands of lib dem campaigners across the country he came to volunteer with me, here in devon. your extraordinary efforts have delivered an historic result and sent a shockwave through british politics. tonight, the people of tiverton and honiton have spoken for britain. i have sent a loud and clear message,

it is time for borisjohnson to go. and go now. it is time for boris johnson to go. and go now.— it is time for boris johnson to go. and go now. applause out is a ureat go. and go now. applause out is a great country — go. and go now. applause out is a great country and _ go. and go now. applause out is a great country and no _ go. and go now. applause out is a great country and no greater- a great country and no greater part of it then devon. but every day _ part of it then devon. but every day boris _ part of it then devon. eli every day borisjohnson part of it then devon. eli every day boris johnson clings every day borisjohnson clings to office, he brings further shame, chaos and neglect. communities like ours are on their knees. everyone of us standing on this stage, as candidates, has heard the pain people is suffering as a cost of living crisis starts to bite. yet, when borisjohnson could be fighting for farmers, for our nhs and rural services, he will be fighting once again to save his own political skin. i also have a simple message for those conservative mps

propping up this failing prime minister, the liberal democrats are coming. if you don't take action to restore decency, respect and british values to downing street, u2 will face election defeats like the one we have seeing here tonight. it is time to do what is right for our country —— you too. you know when your heart that your leader is not the person to leader is not the person to lead this great nation into the future. across the country, the liberal democrats are taking on the conservatives and winning. thousands of lifelong conservatives are appalled by boris johnson's lies conservatives are appalled by borisjohnson's lies and set up for being taken for granted. thousands of neighbour voters choosing to lend their votes to the candidate with the best chance of beating the conservatives, thousands of

people who believe our politics should be about building a better life for everyone, not a daily parade of self—serving chaos. all of them voting for the liberal democrats. these are difficult times for our country. the cost of living crisis as we know here in devon, is hitting hard. people are forced to choose between filling up their car or putting food on the table. a local nhs is teetering on the brink. our rural economy is in a precarious state, with peoples livelihoods at risk. our country is crying out for leadership. i served as an officer in the british army for ten years, mrjohnson, and i can tell you that leadership means acting with decency and integrity. it means keeping your word. integrity. it means keeping yourword. it integrity. it means keeping your word. it means setting an example and putting other

people's needs before your own. i served alongside friends to personify these values and lay down their lives in the service of the country. and yet your behaviour, mrjohnson, makes a mockery of leadership. by any measure, you are unfit to lead. the people of tiverton and honiton have told you tonight that enough is enough. they demand a change. the only decent course of action left open to you is to he and resign. —— is to heed their call. i want to pay tribute to ed david and thanks to you we are taking on borisjohnson across the blue wall and winning. from cheshire and apparition, to north shop she and you here, tiverton and honiton, you believed this

result was possible. he rallied the troops and lead from the front. whether it is on the streets of seton and bampton, colleton or brampton, axminster or tiverton, you have led the charge for change. but, finally, i most importantly of all, thank you to the people of tiverton and honiton and everyone in our part of devon. for your support throughout the campaign, for putting your faith in me to be your champion in parliament, and as your local mp i promise i will work tirelessly for you. i will always put local people and communities first. whether you supported me or supported someone else, i want to let you know i am here to represent you and to stand up for everyone in tiverton and honiton. i will never take you for granted. thank you. fix.

never take you for granted. thank vom— never take you for granted. thank ou. �* , . . ., thank you. a triumphant richard ford, a liberal— thank you. a triumphant richard ford, a liberal democrat- thank you. a triumphant richard ford, a liberal democrat who . ford, a liberal democrat who has taken the seat of tiverton and honiton, with 22,500 votes there. exact details coming up. i want to bring in the press effort — a professor of politics at liverpool. thank you forjoining us, if wakefield was a bloodied nose for tiverton and honiton the conservatives, what is, concussion? it conservatives, what is, concussion?— conservatives, what is, concussion? ., concussion? it is one of the most sensational _ concussion? it is one of the i most sensational by-election most sensational by—election results we have ever seen. 365 seats were won in the last general election, there were only 70 to save for the conservatives in that constituency. firstly, every conservative mp is entitled to feel nervous this evening. and you do wonder whether these conservative rebels removed the vote of no confidence in boris johnson a few weeks ago, you wonder whether they regret not waiting until these elections took place because the sheer

scale of the vote against the conservatives, in tiverton and honiton would suggest the rebels may have done even better, they got 148 mps to vote against him and it may have been higher had these by—elections take payment place. possible pressure on the prime minister, and on the government but of course the message that come from number 10 that these are just by—elections. in terms of extraordinary nurse, ever by by—election standards, this will take some beating. but by-election standards, this will take some beating. but the oint is it will take some beating. but the point is it is _ will take some beating. but the point is it is just _ will take some beating. but the point is it isjust a _ point is it is just a by—election, however unpleasant and painful it may be. how much can you really extrapolate from this result?— this result? the question is whether boris _ this result? the question is whether boris johnson - this result? the question is whether boris johnson can | this result? the question is - whether boris johnson can turn whether borisjohnson can turn it around. he has had 2.5 years and we are at the mid cycle of the election cycle. the question is about the economy and with the economy in difficulty and little fiscal

headroom, can he turn it around? there is the issue of incompetence and the fact the privileges committee will investigate in autumn at what went on at party gate so very difficult for borisjohnson to difficult for boris johnson to turnit difficult for borisjohnson to turn it around and the backdrop of difficult and desperate relations. borisjohnson started very, very well in terms of by—elections and most unusually for a governing party he made again in 2021 but since thenit he made again in 2021 but since then it has been virtually all downhill. there were two big holes, other main parties did not contest the seat back now four by—election losses of mounting significance and certainly what we're looking now is some clear sign that borisjohnson as prime minister can turn it around, or are they looking at more and more by—election defeats and that demoralising run that can really do incredible damage to a prime ministerreputation.

thinkjohn major, between 1992 and 1997 lost eight consecutive by—elections and could not turn it around and that is potentially the difficulty confronting borisjohnson. betis is seen as an electoral asset and that is why he remains in theirjob. —— but he is seen. remains in their 'ob. -- but he is seen. ., ., ., ., is seen. cannot ask you for the breakdown _ is seen. cannot ask you for the breakdown of _ is seen. cannot ask you for the breakdown of what _ is seen. cannot ask you for the breakdown of what the - is seen. cannot ask you for the breakdown of what the result l is seen. cannot ask you for the | breakdown of what the result in tiverton and honiton looks like in terms of numbers and percentages? it's a majority of nearly 6000, wondering if they want about 1000 or 2000, they'd be pleased with that too entered by 6000 and if you go back to 2019 general election, you can put labour and the lib dems together and it wouldn't have come anything close to the size of the conservative majority. this is historic. it is the third biggest conservative to lib dems swing ever, about 29

point 9%, the school that 30%, desires north shropshire and december, still really enormous. and then you add that together with what happened in north shropshire, cheshire, there aren't that many seats for the conservatives in the south of england, a lot safer than those seats so if you are a conservative mp in these places, at least for by—elections, is there any such thing as a safe seat and you add that to what happened with wakefield, been sat all night, they have by—election results like buses, they come along at once. you say fortunately, it's possible but nonetheless, the wheatfield result coming in seconds before, shouldn't lose sight of that either. 12% swing to the labour party, we talked about them having a mountain to climb at the next general election, they need 10% to get a majority of one, a swing 12%,

they would have on that basis, lots of things can happen, by—elections are different but if that were to be extrapolated to a general election, the labour party would be returned with a comfortable decent enough majority on their own let alone what is happening with the lid dams on the nightmare scenario for the conservatives were talked about already is that if these trends did continue and you had a situation where the labour party started to do that well in a general election in the lib dems were doing anything approaching that well, the conservative party would not just lose, but they would lose extremely badly, they could lose hundreds of seats. as i say, the general election is very different but it's enough to be worried. just a contrast with the position the conservatives were a year ago compared to now, think about the hartlepool by—election, that was just over a year ago and in that situation, the so—called redwall, the conservatives had a swing to them from the labour party of

16%, extraordinary, remarkable for a governing party to be experiencing that sort of thing but in just over a year, the party's but in just over a year, the pa rty�*s fortunes have but in just over a year, the party's fortunes have been transformed that far from having a swing of 16% to them, getting a swing of 12% away from them. in both the sort of seats where they were very competitive in the 2019 general election. , ., election. does that say something _ election. does that say something about - election. does that say something about the i election. does that say - something about the general sense of volatility around british politics or this is the direction of travel of a government.- direction of travel of a covernment. �* , ., , government. british politics is doubtless becoming _ government. british politics is doubtless becoming more - doubtless becoming more volatile. over the last six or seven years, we've seen massive shift in electoral geography, the lib dems collapse in 2015, the lib dems collapse in 2015, the labour collapse in scotland in 2015, the labour resurgence in 2015, the labour resurgence in some places in 2017, labour collapse in the north midlands in 2019. often the political

commentariat, political scientists and journalists, we try and say, this is fixed, this is now. what we've learned is the electorate is more volatile than it used to be and thatis volatile than it used to be and that is something that will worry conservative mps because you can see that this thing can swing towards you rapidly. particularly if you combine it with the remarkable and extraordinary economic challenges this country has barely begun to experience, and the government has barely begun to experience and if you look at these results, the tricky thing is for the government, what do you do? what is the message you take from it, in the since you have to very different seats, to different parts of the country and the electoral collection, and they are sending you a similar message in one sense which is that they are not happy but in terms of the policy prescription, particularly around economics, it's not clear what the answer is. thanks for that. let's get some

political party feel in terms of the response to that. let's return to our main story now the two key uk by—elections in west yorkshire and devon. we can talk to sean kemp, former special adviser for the liberal democrats in no 10 during the coalition yea rs. mo hussein is a former special adviser to amber rudd as uk home secretary and former no 10 downing st — chief press officer under david cameron and to former labour party adviser ayesha hazarika. thank you very much indeed. lets talk to sean kemp. partly because successful lib dem candidate richard ford said it was a shock wave. winners tend to go for hyperbole but maybe it's not. it’s maybe it's not. it's understandable - maybe it's not. it�*s understandable hyperbole, because i 30% swing is massive, an area that's how conservative

since the time of queen victoria, it's clearly right up there in the seismic by—election results, you would say, and we were talking before about the lib dems thinking they have a chance. i don't think they thought they would get a majority of egg, the size of the swing is quite interesting. we talked a lot about the impact this might have on political parties. one thing that is interesting about both these results, the message it sends to voters. you think of the lib dem in labour voters, i can tell you now how many diehard liberal democrats there are in wakefield, it's 508 because that's how many voted for a them up there. while in hoviton, about 1500 votes for labour. you can see how that tactical voting has really come in and if more people notice that in the message comes out that you don't like the conservatives, this is what you have to do, that can have a snowball effect as we head towards a general election. i

as we head towards a general election. . r' as we head towards a general election. . ,~' , ., as we head towards a general election. . i, , ., election. i asked you before what we _ election. i asked you before what we knew _ election. i asked you before what we knew what - election. i asked you before what we knew what the - election. i asked you before i what we knew what the results were, what a very good lab result would look like, and you said, just a win would do. this is a 12% swing, how does that feel? it is a 12% swing, how does that feel? . . ~ feel? it is excellent. we did have a lengthy _ feel? it is excellent. we did have a lengthy discussion i feel? it is excellent. we did - have a lengthy discussion about the size — have a lengthy discussion about the size of the swing and what that would mean in terms of winning _ that would mean in terms of winning a _ that would mean in terms of winning a general election and this 12%— winning a general election and this 12% swing is actually a greater— this 12% swing is actually a greater swing than would be needed _ greater swing than would be needed to win a general election. 50 the labour party is very— election. 50 the labour party is very happy about this, i've had — is very happy about this, i've had a — is very happy about this, i've had a few— is very happy about this, i've had a few messages in from people _ had a few messages in from people and labour did a good 'ob people and labour did a good job of— people and labour did a good job of expectation management because — job of expectation management because had beenjust a small victory — because had beenjust a small victory i— because had beenjust a small victory. i still think that would _ victory. i still think that would have been good enough but many _ would have been good enough but many commentators were saying, this isht— many commentators were saying, this isn't good enough and this would — this isn't good enough and this would he — this isn't good enough and this would be a real shot in the arm for keir— would be a real shot in the arm for keir starmerand would be a real shot in the arm for keir starmer and the whole of the — for keir starmer and the whole of the labour party but

devastating to the conservatives. it is extraordinary to think that in 2.5 extraordinary to think that in 25 years. _ extraordinary to think that in 2.5 years, you've seen the prime — 2.5 years, you've seen the prime minister, whose usb was that he — prime minister, whose usb was that he was this vote winning machine. _ that he was this vote winning machine, and it does now look that— machine, and it does now look that every— machine, and it does now look that every time he has presented to the electorate, is proving — presented to the electorate, is proving to be a drag anchor on the conservative party and we are seeing massive amounts of tactical— are seeing massive amounts of tactical voting is seanjust tactical voting is sean just said _ tactical voting is seanjust said. this is all going to be really. _ said. this is all going to be really, really interesting. and i'm really, really interesting. and i'm sure — really, really interesting. and i'm sure many of those rebels are going _ i'm sure many of those rebels are going to wake up and say, i wish _ are going to wake up and say, i wish we'd — are going to wake up and say, i wish we'd delayed that vote of confidence by two weeks. boris johnson described _ confidence by two weeks. boris johnson described himself - confidence by two weeks. err" 3 johnson described himself as looking forward with interest to the results and buoyancy, was how he put it. how does he deal with results like this? i think it is very disappointing a set of results for the conservative party and it's not homogenous, these are two very

different parts of the country with different demographic and political histories as well. going forward, there is unjust and easy policy response to this. there are so many different parts of support in the conservative voter base needs to amass to keep happy. that is going to be difficult. there will have to be a change of narrative, we heard a lot about getting it right, the greatest hits, getting brexit done. the vaccine rollout, things like that. very backward looking and having a forward—looking offer is going to be very important for the government to articulate very quickly and that is also a double—edged sword because people living in the red wall, probably won't see quicker progress in people not in the northern midlands, probably feel it's a detriment to them.

thinking very carefully about what is the platform of the government going forward, it's going to be important. this between the lib dems, that is going to be something we are worrying. going to be something we are wor inc. �* . going to be something we are wor in. �* , worrying. and i “ust ask you, ou talk worrying. and i “ust ask you, you talk about _ worrying. and i just ask you, you talk about a _ worrying. and i just ask you, you talk about a changing i worrying. and i just ask you, you talk about a changing of| you talk about a changing of the narrative, but i don't know how many narratives you can have in the course of one. in government. how would that change, what would you be looking for?— change, what would you be lookin: for? . . , , looking for? there are attempts to already do — looking for? there are attempts to already do this, _ looking for? there are attempts to already do this, you - looking for? there are attempts to already do this, you hear - looking for? there are attempts to already do this, you hear a i to already do this, you hear a lot about having conservative only policies, retailfriendly policies, things that are ideal logically conservative but what does that even mean now when you have such a range of people who voted for you over the last election, a lot of people voted conservative in 2019 and another night lifelong conservatives and ideological conservatives and ideological conservatives over the party, the government to retain these seats which he does need to do, and it hasn't, it will have to

think outside the box. i’m think outside the box. i'm auoin think outside the box. i'm going to _ think outside the box. i'm going to stop _ think outside the box. i'm going to stop you - think outside the box. i'm going to stop you there just for the moment. thank you very much indeed for your comments, and without, you've been bbc world news. we continue our coverage. two defeats for the conservatives. a win for the lib dems and labour. i was struck by similar words, the adjectives used by the two successful candidates in the speeches, and integrity, dishonesty, they were sort of wriggled through their speeches. both parties have made a big play in relation to

conservatives and tied to boris johnson. how much of the voters you would be determined by those sentiments as much as anything else?— anything else? quite a considerable _ anything else? quite a considerable amount. | anything else? quite a i considerable amount. it's not that the voters have fallen out with a levelling up agenda, it's not necessarily that voters have massively fallen out with all the boris johnson's policies but there are questions of integrity and competence and those have come to a head with these two by—election results. but the conservatives are looking for any comfort. you could argue there was a swing, fairly routine for a by—election, but you can't explain tiverton and hoviton away in those terms because you have a colossal swing against the conservatives. the focus has

been upon, and how to defend them. a whole new flankers opened up this evening in terms of the conservative defence of seats against the liberal democrats in the south. you've seen it in cheshire and amersham, 25% swing, and also to north shropshire, 34% swing against the conservatives and another huge swing down in devon. wherever the conservatives look now, they are under threat. where is the traditional threat that was labour and still is in the north of england, taking those as we've seen in wakefield, ought to the liberal democrats? that will stem the flow and what they do in terms of the image of borisjohnson that appears to be tarnished in whatnot might be an irredeemable way but it's tarnished for the moment, it's

up tarnished for the moment, it's up to 13 months before an election is called but one of the biggest myths in british politics is to dismiss by—elections as froth and meaningless. to the days of margaret thatcher, she was suffering huge by—election defeats in 1989, 1990 where is prime minister is a win by—elections, remain unchallenged, tony blair didn't lose a single by—election to the conservatives. gordon brown lost by—elections and we knew that a conservative government was incoming social we should never, ever dismiss by—elections are simply something that can be written off, it's absolutely foolhardy to do so. �* . off, it's absolutely foolhardy to do so— to do so. it's a pretty impressive _ to do so. it's a pretty impressive political l to do so. it's a pretty i impressive political history list in terms of the power of the by—election. with ms newsnight�*s policy editor lewis gooddall.

we look at by—elections for some sort of a predictive power and it can give us clues as to that but they are variable with a far better predictive power is in its effect on politics immediately and the effect this will have on politics immediately is that boris johnson's authority, already, very, very much weaker and feeble than it was, will the road further still. why is that particularly damaging for the prime minister? any prime minister who starts to lose by—elections, their authority is weakened by particularly damaging for borisjohnson damaging for boris johnson because damaging for borisjohnson because one of his usp, one of the reasons he was put there in the reasons he was put there in the first place, part of a transactional arrangement. the first place, part of a transactionalarrangement. some transactional arrangement. some of the transactionalarrangement. some of the conservative party did not like him but others thought he could really reach to other

parts of the country, the