Conservative MPs have warned that it may be "too late" to shore up support in North Shropshire, with just two weeks before the next by-election.
Boris Johnson has held on to his party’s seat in Old Bexley and Sidcup, but the Conservative majority was slashed from almost 19,000 to just 4,478. Louie French, the Tory candidate, won the election triggered by the death of James Brokenshire with a 51.4 per cent share of the vote, compared with Labour’s 30.8 per cent.
Backbenchers praised Justin Tomlinson, the deputy party chairman, for running a "slick" and "very solid campaign", which one said was "the best I've seen in terms of competency".
His team will now switch their focus to North Shropshire, with a vote on 16 December triggered by the resignation of Owen Paterson amid a row over sleaze allegations.
One said today's result was "a relief", but added: "North Shropshire will be different because there is a more organised opposition in place, and other parties are taking it more seriously."
"Vibes coming back are not good," said one. "JT's team switch to Shropshire on Monday but I suspect it'll be too late.. he can't be everywhere and was determined to get [Old Bexley] over the line."
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Boris Johnson "should be worried" after the by-election in Old Bexley and Sidcup saw the Conservative Party win by a smaller majority, Labour's national campaign coordinator has said.
Shabana Mahmood told Sky News campaigners in the "true blue Tory" seat would know there was " lot of dissatisfaction with the Prime Minster and his government.
"They are fed up with the sleaze, they are fed up with the broken promises and many Tory voters registered that dissatisfaction yesterday - some of them stayed at home, and many of them made the switch over to the Labour Party. "
There is more than a slight sense of relief among Tory circles about the result in Old Bexley and Sidcup.
There was never any serious sense that Louie French would retain the seat - but then, very few people doubted a Conservative victory in Chesham and Amersham, until the results came in.
However, the race in the seat formerly held by James Brokenshire will be very different from that in North Shropshire.
The circumstances of yesterday's by-election - the untimely death of Mr Brokenshire, a popular and effective minister - are vastly different to those that the Tories contend with in a fortnight. The row over sleaze, which saw Owen Paterson resign, has rumbled on for weeks and the latest allegations about Christmas parties only exacerbate that.
Bexley was also a solid Leave seat, playing into the current Government psyche. While Shropshire also backed Brexit, there is concern that the Red Wall rhetoric is going down less well among core voters.
There is one crucial similarity, however: the weather. With Louie French blaming the cold for the low turnout in his race, Tories are also wondering whether voters will come out two weeks from now - and several miles further north.
A pollster has compared today's by-election result in Old Bexley and Sidcup to "the sort of by-election swing that Ed Miliband was getting from David Cameron".
Matt Singh, election analyst and founder of Number Cruncher, said the 10.3 percent swing is “very much par for the course between a governing and main opposition party in a by-election.
"Not a particularly remarkable result!”
The reduction in the Conservatives’ majority in Old Bexley and Sidcup is a “rejection of Boris Johnson personally” because the Prime Minister is now viewed as a “liability, not an asset” in Tory heartlands, the leader of the Reform UK party has claimed.
Richard Tice, who stood in Thursday’s by-election and secured 6.6 per cent of the vote, said the result showed a collapse in support for the Government ahead of another by-election in two weeks’ time.
“The British political landscape has changed tonight: confirmed,” Mr Tice told The Telegraph.
“Their vote collapsed. I mean, almost 20,000 fewer votes than they secured at the general election. And the reality is that this was a rejection of Boris Johnson, personally. He's now viewed by lifelong Tory voters, as a liability, not an asset."
Read more here
Oliver Dowden is planning a "normal Christmas gathering of staff in London", despite ministerial colleagues cancelling their festive parties.
The Conservative Party co-chairman said: "I think there's a Conservative Party political party, as it were, Christmas party, I think is still planned, and I don't intend to cancel it as chairman of the Conservative Party."
Any party would be "completely consistent with the rules", adding: "We are not changing plans - if the situation changes and rules need to be updated, we will do so then."
He urged the wider public to do likewise.
Challenged on the nature of the planned party, amid reports that Downing Street held a festive bash with party games last year, he told BBC Breakfast: "This is not a children's party so I wouldn't expect games.
"It will be a social gathering at our London office."
Yesterday George Freeman, the science minister, said he had cancelled his plans in favour of a "Zoom Christmas party".
A minister has said the three week period for new Covid restrictions is a "sufficient window" for scientists to establish how serious the omicron variant is.
Oliver Dowden, the Conservative Party co-chairman, told BBC Breakfast the Government had imposed "balanced and proprtionate measures to address the very real risks" posed by the new strain of coronavirus.
"Beyond that people should keep calm and carry on with their plans," he added.
Asked about the prospects that the restrictions will be lifted in three weeks, he said this would be "a sufficient window for our scientists to be able to properly examine this variant".
Oliver Dowden has stressed that all the rules were followed last year, amid reports that festive parties were held as the country entered lockdown last year.
He told BBC Breakfast he had been "having conversations with people on the doorsteps in Bexley" as well as "extensive discussions" about how to deal with the omicron variant.
"I have not been having conversations about what may or may not have been happening over a year ago," he said.
Challenged about whether he was 'withholding information', he said; "I am not withholding information - I would be interested to know what your viewers are really interested in.
"I think they would expect a member of the Cabinet, at a time when we are in the middle of a Covid crisis... to be on making sure we appropriate steps to deal with that."
Mr Dowden added: "I have been assured by the Prime Minister that rules at all time were followed at Downing Street."
A minister has conceded that people have "frustrations with a range of issues", but stressed that people still trust the Government on "the big calls".
Oliver Dowden told BBC Breakfast that on issues like Covid, the economy, and the NHS - the "core issues of delivery, this Conservative Government is getting on with the job".
The outcome of the Old Bexley and Sidcup by-election was "consistent with mid term" results, he added.
"People continue to trust the Conservative party... if you ignore the noise and chatter and look at the big issues," Mr Dowden said.
The Old Bexley and Sidcup by-election was "a good, solid result" for the Conservatives, Oliver Dowden ha said.
The drop in absolute numbers "reflect a very low turnout", he told BBC Breakfast, stressing he does not "share the implication that this is a disastrous result".
He added: "We are very pleased... Of course people are going to be concerned about a range of issues. For example, people are concerned about small boats across the Channel."
The Borders Bill, which is coming before Parliament next week, "will address some of those concerns", he added.
The Government is also focused on the NHS and the economy.
Labour might be claiming the result in Old Bexley and Sidcup as success - but that's not how pollsters and political betting gurus are seeing it.
Mike Smithson, a former Liberal Democrat politician and expert on betting on politics, says the by-election was "a very comfortable night for the Tories".
He adds: "Sure there has been a 10.2 per cent Con to Lab swing on the GE2019, but this election has taken place mid-term during the worst spell of the Boris Johnson premiership when you would have thought the party could have been more vulnerable.
"Labour also had the LDs just running a token campaign which should have made it easier to make progress."
He brands it a "flop" for Labour - but notes the jury is still out on the North Shropshire race.
Boris Johnson "still had the same traffic-stopping ability" with voters, despite a slide in the polls, Oliver Dowden has said.
Amid accusations that the Prime Minister joined lockdown-busting parties at Downing Street, the Conservative Party co-chairman told Times Radio:"I don't think Boris has lost any of his star quality."
Mr Dowden said "a range of issues raised on doorstep in any campaign". but stressed the Government was hard at work.
He added: "Parties mid-term shouldn't expect to do well, particularly governing parties, so I welcome the faith the people of Bexley have put in our candidate Louie French."
It was a "very strong showing mid-term", he added.
Labour's vote share was broadly "the same they achieved under Corbyn in 2017 and Keir Starmer didn't even bother turning up - it doesn't strike me as opposition party on the march."
Oliver Dowden has rubbished Labour's claims that the Old Bexley result shows they are winning back trust.
The Conservative Party co-chairman told Sky News: "This is a good result for a governing party mid-term... I pay tribute to excellent candidate and campaign team there.
"This idea that Labour has surged ahead is really for the birds," he added. "Keir Starmer couldn't even be bothered to turn up."
A minister has indicated there will be no additional support for hospitality firms amid widespread Christmas cancellations.
Oliver Dowden, the Conservative Party co-chairman, told Sky News: "We have provided a huge amount of support, and some of that support is ongoing in relation to business rates.
"Beyond that have not change the advice around people going to hospitality - pub, restaurants and so on. Most have been doing very well this season, up until recently."
Challenged about the fact that many people have been cancelling their plans, and that concerns are growing about more restrictions, he added: "Let's wait and see how we get on."
But Mr Dowden stressed the current approach was to "limit the spread" of omicron through "tough measures in relation to the virus coming into the country".
Oliver Dowden has said people should "keep calm, carry on with your Christmas plans", amid growing fears about the omicron variant.
The Conservative Party co-chair told Sky News "the Government takes this very seriously", adding that all guidance is based on scientific advice - despite it being at odds with comments from Dr Jenny Harries earlier this week.
He stressed that guidance had been updated to include mask wearing and new isolation requirements, while urging people to get their booster jab.
"Beyond that people can carry on with their plans as before - keep calm and carry on with your Christmas plans as already set out."
He added: "We want people to have a better Christmas than last year and we are confident that people will be able to."
Labour's shadow health secretary has claimed the result in the Old Bexley and Sidcup by-election is "one that Tory MPs will be worried by".
Both parties are claiming last night's result as a victory, with the Tory candidate Louie French retaining the seat, albeit with a heavily reduced majority. It is the first of a trio of by-elections, with next year's race in North Shropshire likely to be a tough battle.
Wes Streeting said this outcome in a "rock solid safe Conservative seat" would be of concern for Tories.
A Tory MP has said the result in Old Bexley and Sidcup is "a very good result for Boris", amid the party's slide in the polls on the back of allegations of sleaze and second jobs.
Nickie Aiken, vice chairman of the Conservative Party, told The Telegraph it was "a brilliant result".
She added: "If you considered what we faced in the 1990s under the Major government, this is a very good result for Boris.
"If Starmer spent more time concentrating on policies aimed at the country, rather than the Westminster bubble, voters may be more confident in supporting them."
The winner of the Old Bexley and Sidcup by-election that was held to replace the former MP James Brokenshire has said his victory is “what he would have wanted”.
Louie French, who was elected with a reduced majority in Thursday’s vote, paid tribute to his friend after his death from cancer in October and wore his rosette to the count.
“He was a good friend of mine, and my mentor,” Mr French told The Telegraph, after seeing off a challenge from Labour and Richard Tice, who was standing for the Reform UK party.
“He was one of the first people who encouraged me to try and become a Member of Parliament.
“The family very kindly asked me to wear his ribbon tonight in tribute to him, and I do that with great honour and pride. I’m very proud to do so," he added. “He was a fantastic man, and I’m very sad about the loss of his life. I know that this is what he would have wanted tonight.”
Read more here.
Labour's unsuccessful candidate for Old Bexley and Sidcup has said he is "incredibly proud" to have secured a 10 per cent swing towards the party.
Daniel Francis received 6,711 votes, just over 30 per cent of the total vote.
Combined with a lower turnout, that has eroded the Conservatives' majority from 29,786 in 2019 to 11,189 ？today.
Greg Hands, the energy minister, has welcomed his new colleague Louie French - but said he has "a big space to fill".
The Old Bexley and Sidcup by-election was triggered by the death of James Brokenshire, a popular former secretary of state, who held multiple roles under Theresa May and Boris Johnson.
Mr French paid tribute to Mr Brokenshire, whose rosette he wore as the result was announced.
Louie French's share of more than 50 per cent of the vote in Old Bexley and Sidcup is "almost unheard of", the Conservative deputy chairman has said.
Justin Tomlinson told the PA news agency: "We're absolutely thrilled. For a Government to get over 50 per cent of the vote in a parliamentary by-election is almost unheard of, and with a majority of over 20 per cent.
"A fantastic local candidate, positive campaign, focused on the tangible difference we're making to people's lives, having navigated the unprecedented challenges of Covid."
He added that the result was an "absolute disaster" for the Labour Party, saying: "They do not look like a Government in waiting."
See the full results breakdown at 5:26am
Oliver Dowden, the Conservative Party co-chairman, is one of the first Cabinet ministers to hail the result in Old Bexley and Sidcup this morning.
He praised Louie French, Parliament's newest MP, as having "fought a positive campaign, focused on delivering for the area he has called home all of his life".
Richard Tice secured 6.6 per cent of the vote, and kept his deposit. He told the Telegraph that the result showed a collapse in support for the Government ahead of another by-election in two weeks’ time.
Louie French (Con) 11,189 (51.48%, -13.06%)
Daniel Francis (Lab) 6,711 (30.88%, +7.40%)
Richard Tice (Reform) 1,432 (6.59%)
Jonathan Rooks (Green) 830 (3.82%, +0.62%)
Simone Reynolds (LD) 647 (2.98%, -5.31%)
Elaine Cheeseman (Eng Dem) 271 (1.25%)
John Poynton (UKIP) 184 (0.85%)
Richard Hewison (Rejoin) 151 (0.69%)
David Kurten (Heritage) 116 (0.53%)
Carol Valinejad (CPA) 108 (0.50%)
Mad Mike Young (Loony) 94 (0.43%)
The Conservative majority was 4,478 (20.60%)
Turnout was low at 21,733 (33.52%, -36.28%), with by-elections usually expected to produce a turnout around 50 per cent. The majority was cut from almost 19,000 to 4,400, and the Tory vote share was cut from 64 per cent to 51 per cent.
Good morning, and we start the day with the Old Bexley and Sidcup by-election results. Boris Johnson has held on to his party’s seat, but the Conservative majority was slashed from almost 19,000 to just 4,478.
Louie French, the Tory candidate, won the election with a 51.4 per cent share of the vote, compared with Labour’s 30.8 per cent.
The by-election, triggered by the death of the former MP, James Brokenshire, is the first of a series of by-election tests for the Conservatives, following a drop in the party’s performance in the national polls.
Our political correspondent, Tony Diver, was at the count and you can read his full story here.
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