The Conservatives have retained just one of the seats up for grabs in yesterday’s three by-elections. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s party held on to Boris Johnson’s old seat of Uxbridge and South Ruislip as Steve Tuckwell won with a majority of just 495 votes. However, two traditionally safe Tory seats were both lost, as Selby and Ainsty went to Labour’s Keir Mather whilst Somerton and Frome went to the Liberal Democrats’ Sarah Dyke. The prime minister has vowed to double down on his existing policies to win over the public heading in to the next general election. Although recent polls and results suggest Mr Sunak has a tough job on his hands convincing British voters of the merits of a fifth Conservative term in office. Report by Jonesia. Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/itn and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/itn
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00:00 It was a headache that the Prime Minister could have done without.
00:03 The resignation of three of his Conservative MPs last month, including his predecessor,
00:08 triggering by-elections at a time when one poll gave Labour a 25-point lead over the Tories.
00:15 The most convincing victory of the night came from Somerton and Froome.
00:19 And it was not good news for Rishi Sunak.
00:21 Five, four, three, two, one!
00:26 [Cheering]
00:28 The Liberal Democrat Sarah Dyke taking 55% of the vote share and winning by a majority of 11,000.
00:35 Although the Lib Dems once had a strong presence in the south-west of England,
00:39 this constituency has been traditionally blue,
00:41 the Conservatives winning by majorities of 20,000 in the previous three elections.
00:46 Tonight has been a stunning and historic victory for the Liberal Democrats.
00:54 And it shows once and for all, the Liberal Democrats are back in the West Country.
01:03 [Cheering]
01:06 Last night, the people of Somerton and Froome spoke to the whole country.
01:11 And they sent a powerful message to this appalling Conservative government.
01:18 Ringmaster Rishi is out of ideas, he's out of touch and he's out of excuses.
01:25 In Yorkshire, the Parliamentary Labour Party gained another care.
01:29 25-year-old Mr Mather overtaking party colleague Nadia Whitham as the baby of the house.
01:35 He overturned a Conservative majority of 20,000 in the traditionally safe Tory seat of Selby and Ainsty.
01:42 In this campaign, we have rewritten the rules on where Labour can win.
01:47 People have opened their doors to us and embraced our positive vision for the future.
01:52 And thousands of the votes cast yesterday were in Labour's box for the very first time.
01:58 After we've now changed the party, we can win anywhere, including in places that were Tory strongholds.
02:05 So I know the people in this constituency have put their trust in the Labour Party,
02:10 in Keir Mather as the new MP, and we will deliver on that trust.
02:14 Conservative Minister Johnny Mercer took his party's defeat with good grace,
02:18 comparing the youthful new MP to the in-betweeners.
02:22 Mr Mercer will therefore have been reassured by the older head of Conservative councillor Steve Tocqueville in north-west London.
02:29 A plethora of candidates to choose from in the Uxbridge and South Ryslip by-election,
02:33 but voters plumped for Boris Johnson's direct replacement, albeit with a majority of only 500,
02:39 ensuring the night wasn't the whitewash the Tories feared.
02:42 The pundits expected Labour to win big here, but our community came together,
02:46 and I am thankful to them and the hundreds of activists that came out to deliver this message.
02:52 This wasn't the campaign Labour expected, and Keir Starmer and his mayor, Sadiq Khan,
02:57 need to sit up and listen to the Uxbridge and South Ryslip residents. Thank you.
03:05 Westminster's been acting like the next election's a done deal.
03:07 The Labour Party's been acting like it's a done deal.
03:10 The people of Uxbridge just told all of them that it's not.
03:13 Now, no-one expected us to win here, but Steve's victory demonstrates
03:18 that when confronted with the actual reality of the Labour Party,
03:22 when there's an actual choice on a matter of substance at stake, people vote Conservative.
03:27 The Prime Minister has vowed to double down on his existing policies to win over the public heading into the next general election.
03:35 The outcome of that may not be a done deal,
03:37 although recent polls and results suggest Rishi Sunak has a tough job on his hands
03:42 convincing British voters of the merits of a fifth Conservative term.
03:46 (applause)
03:48 (audience applauding)