North Shropshire by-election: Protest vote could topple Tories, minister suggests
The Conservatives have appeared to play down their chances of winning the North Shropshire by-election after a Cabinet minister said the electorate could use the poll as a “protest vote”.
The by-election, due to be held on Thursday, was prompted by the resignation of MP Owen Paterson.
The former environment secretary quit after he was found to have breached lobbying rules, and after the Government U-turned in a bid to save him from immediate Commons suspension.
Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi said by-elections are sometimes used to “send a message”, in what will be read as a hint that the Tories think they could lose the contest, despite enjoying a comfortable majority of almost 23,000 at the last election two years ago.
It comes as the Government has been stung by a series of crises in recent weeks.
On top of the sleaze row following the saga involving Mr Paterson, the Prime Minister has been dogged by claims that No 10 broke Covid rules last year by holding a Christmas bash and a festive quiz – a “virtual” event which Downing Street confirmed Boris Johnson took part in “briefly” – in December 2020.
The Conservative Party leader also faces allegations that he misled his ethics adviser over what he knew about a controversial refurbishment of his No 11 flat.
Speaking to Times Radio about the Tory prospects in North Shropshire, Mr Zahawi said: “By-elections have historically been used as a protest vote because people know it’s not going to change the outcome of which party governs the country but actually they want to send a message for whatever reason.
“I think the people of North Shropshire would be really well-served by Neil Shastri-Hurst – I’m certainly backing him and I hope he wins on Thursday night.”
The odds have been slashed on the Liberal Democrats causing a by-election upset, with party leader Sir Ed Davey visiting the town of Wem on Saturday.
Speaking on Sunday, the former Cabinet minister said: “The momentum is now with the Liberal Democrats as we enter the final week of this campaign.
“Every day we are hearing from lifelong Conservative voters who are furious with the Prime Minister for lying, breaking the rules and trying to cover it up.
“They now have an opportunity to tell Boris Johnson that the party is over.”
Labour and the Reform Party – formerly the Brexit Party – are also contesting the seat, along with a slew of smaller parties.
A Conservative councillor in North Shropshire announced last week that he had defected to Reform.
Mark Whittle, deputy mayor of Market Drayton, said he joined the party after meeting the Tory candidate in the race, Dr Shastri-Hurst.
He said he could not “possibly back a candidate from Birmingham who has zero knowledge of North Shropshire and the challenges our community faces”.
The by-election comes as recent national polls suggest Labour has strengthened its lead over the Tories.
An Opinium survey published on Sunday put Labour nine points ahead of Mr Johnson’s party – the biggest Labour lead in seven years, according to the polling firm.
