Candidates in the North Shropshire by-election
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Candidates in the North Shropshire by-election
(Getty Images)
Votes in the North Shropshire by-election tonight are being counted in the contest for a successor to Tory MP Owen Paterson, who has stepped down after being found to have broken lobbying rules.
Polls closed at 10pm in the West Midlands constituency that is a Conservative safe seat.
The result is expected to be announced in the early hours of Friday morning.
Mr Paterson represented the constituency for 24 years until his resignation after Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s botched attempt to shield him from a 30-day suspension.
Mr Johnson had attempted to get his party to lead a review of the standards rules for MPs after Mr Paterson was found to have breached lobbying rules for two companies paying him ￡100,000 a year.
After public scrutiny, Mr Paterson resigned and said he wanted to escape the “cruel world of politics”.
The by-election also comes after the PM’s authority was in doubt after almost 100 Tory rebels voted against the coronavirus restrictions in his newly-enacted ‘plan B’.
Asked on Wednesday if Mr Johnson would quit if his party loses North Shropshire, the PM’s press secretary said: “We are fighting for every vote.”
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Show latest update 1639699865 Better-than-expected Labour showing
Two hours after the polls closed and, at the counting hall in Shrewsbury, there’s no real certainty yet as to which way the contest may be going.
However suggestions are being made that a better-than-expected Labour showing could deny the Liberal Democrats a famous victory here - and help the Tories to retain the seat.
Staff sort ballots in the count centre at Shrewsbury Sports Village
(AFP via Getty Images)
Colin Drury 17 December 2021 00:11
1639699260 Lib Dems' data shows party ahead of Conservatives
The Liberal Democrats’ data has shown the party ahead of the Tories – but it has been advised that the finding should be taken with a “huge pinch of salt”.
The data from North Shropshire last week puts the Lib Dems at 43 per cent and the Conservatives at 37 per cent.
Lamiat Sabin 17 December 2021 00:01
1639698000 Ballot boxes arrive for the count at Shrewsbury Sports Village (PA)
(PA)
Lamiat Sabin 16 December 2021 23:40
1639696800 Council gets into festive mood as votes arrive for count
Shropshire Council’s social media team is getting into the Christmas spirit by imagining a rom-com love story in the constituency featuring a big-shot reporter and a farmer.
In announcing that the ballot boxes have arrived for the count, the council tweeted: “Some of the major television news channels are broadcasting right now as we await the arrival of the first ballot boxes.
“I’m almost certain you could make a low-budget, straight-to-Channel 5 Christmas movie out of tonight.
“You know the drill, a fancy big city media star gets stranded in North Shropshire just a week before Christmas.
“Her camera truck probably gets stuck in a field.
“A handsome young farmer from Wem helps free her and she's intrigued by his charms...until his tractor accidentally sprays her with mud.
“Sadly the truck needs a new wheel or something and she will have to spend Christmas in the county.
“Soon realising her life in London is hollow, she falls for the charms of both the Wem farmer and North Shropshire in general and she opens a Christmas gift shop in snowy Market Drayton.
“Ahhhhhh.”
Lamiat Sabin 16 December 2021 23:20
1639695275 Vote count underway in North Shropshire
Less than an hour ago, polls closed in the North Shropshire by-election and the counting of votes has started.
The result is expected to be announced in the early hours of tomorrow (Friday) morning.
Lamiat Sabin 16 December 2021 22:54
1639658941 In images: Votes are cast at the North Shropshire by-election
A placard for Tory candidate Neil Shastri-Hurst lays broken on the ground as people cast their votes
(Getty)
Salopians arrive at the Horeb Welsh Methodist Church to cast their votes
(Getty)
Voters leave the polls
(Getty)
Sam Hancock 16 December 2021 12:49
1639658146 Time for a decision on NI Protocol, warns DUP
Some Brexit news now. DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson has said he will warn European Commission vice president Maros Sefcovic that it is decision time over the Northern Ireland Protocol.
The pair are due to meet later on Thursday.
In a statement ahead of the meeting, Sir Jeffrey said he will make it clear that his party’s continued participation in the Stormont Assembly is “not sustainable in the absence of action to remove the Irish Sea border”.
“I have shown respect and goodwill by giving space for the current talks to succeed, but regrettably this has not been reciprocated,” he said ahead of the talks.
Sir Jeffrey continued with a warning: “If the European Union wish to protect the political institutions in Northern Ireland, then they must seize this opportunity. Failure to do so, will lead to the inevitable consequences which I outlined on 9 September.
“It is now decision time for the EU. The time for talking is now over. Matters must now be brought to a head.”
DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson
(Wikimedia Commons)
Sam Hancock 16 December 2021 12:35
1639656188 Government refuses to rule out 3.8% rail fare rise
Transport secretary Grant Shapps has refused to out a 3.1 per cent hike to rail fares when challenged by Labour in the Commons.
Shadow transport secretary Louise Haigh said such an increase would be "brutal".
The Labour MP said: "Ahead of a tough Christmas, people across this country are paying the price of Tory inflation."
Shapps responded: "She's right about inflation of course, but it is a global post-pandemic issue, rather than specific to this country, and that's why the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a series of measures, including a big uplift in the living wage of 6.6 per cent, outclassing even inflation."
Matt Mathers 16 December 2021 12:03
1639655070 Tory MPs attack Chris Whitty for ‘running the show’ with Christmas party advice
Tory MPs have attacked Chris Whitty’s call for people to cut back on Christmas partying as an adviser “running the show” – despite no Commons vote to impose restrictions.
Ex-ministers Steve Brine and Steve Baker laid into the chief medical officer after he urged the public not to mix at festive events unless they “really matter to them”.
Our deputy politics editor Rob Merrick has the story:
Tory MPs attack Chris Whitty for ‘running the show’ with Christmas party advice Advisers don’t ‘run businesses facing complete ruin’ Treasury minister told – after call to limit socialising
Matt Mathers 16 December 2021 11:44
1639654786 Queen cancels pre-Christmas lunch
The Queen has cancelled her traditional pre-Christmas family lunch next week.
It is understood the decision was a precaution amid the rapid spread of the new variant of Covid-19.
ITV’s royal correspondent Chris Ship has suggested it could put too many people’s Christmas arrangements at risk if it went ahead.
My colleague Kate Ng has more details below:
Queen’s Christmas lunch cancelled due to Covid fears The cancellation comes amid the rapid spread of the new Covid-19 variant, omicron
Matt Mathers 16 December 2021 11:39
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