Britain’s Conservative Party lost its two safest seats in the House of Commons to Labor in a by-election on Friday. In one district, Mid Bedfordshire, the Tory Party has been in power since 1932, and in another, Tamworth, since 1996. The fact that the party lost those seats to Keir Starmer’s Labor Party could bode ill for the future. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s government.

Voters in these two districts can go to the polls on Thursday to replace two lawmakers who resigned. In 2019, the Conservative Party took 63.3 per cent of the vote in Tamworth, now it is 40.1 per cent. In Mid Bedfordshire, where the Tories were at 59.8 per cent in 2019, they are now at 31.3 per cent. There are no votes in other parts of the country, but in just over a year the government must hold parliamentary elections.

Thirteen years in power

The loss of these two seats has no immediate political consequences for the Conservative Party. The party still has a very large majority in the House of Commons, and can therefore continue to govern. Voter turnout in by-elections is also generally low in the UK, including currently. Voters are also often more likely to protest election results than national elections.

Despite these warnings, the blow to the Conservative Party from this defeat was significant. After thirteen years in power in the UK, the Conservative Party’s political struggles have escalated rapidly: from the Brexit referendum in 2016 to Liz Truss’ brief and ineffective tenure as prime minister last year. This party has changed leaders three times in one year.

‘Phenomenal result’ for Labor

Labor leader Starmer has pulled his party further towards the center since taking over leadership of the party in 2020. He visited the two districts where voting took place on Thursday and described the results as “phenomenal results that show Labor is back to serving working people and is changing political map.”

According to British professor and poll specialist John Curtice of the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, the analysis is incorrect: “This is not fate, but a sign that unless the Conservative Party can change the political situation dramatically and radically, they will do the same.” lose.” Look at us in a year’s time.” he told the BBC.

New Labor MP for Tamworth, Sarah Edwards, told cheering supporters after the win: “Tonight the people of Tamworth voted Labor because of its positive vision and new beginning.” But he also knows that the problems facing the Conservative Party help: “Voters have sent a clear signal to Rishi Sunak and the Conservative Party that they have had enough of this failing government.”