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By-elections: Rishi Sunak says next election is not a done deal
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Rishi Sunak has held on to Boris Johnson’s former seat in Uxbridge – a win widely seen as a result of Ulez – despite suffering two painful by-election blows.
The race in the former PM’s constituency went down to the wire as a recount in the small hours of Friday – but it was Mr Sunak’s party who clung on, saving him from a “disastrous” triple by-election defeat in something of an embarrassment for Sir Keir Starmer.
But Tory MPs warned Mr Sunak that Labour is on course for general election victory after the double drubbing in Selby and Somerton by elections.
Nigel Mills, Tory MP for Amber Valley in Derbyshire, told The Independent the Selby result was “clearly not good” and meant “red wall” colleagues across the north and Midlands would worry about losing their own seats.
“It reinforces that we’re in a really difficult position. Nobody is in any doubt we have a battle in our hands. If you lose a 20,000 majority and the opposition poll 20 points ahead of you then you’re going to lose a hell of a lot of seats.”
Recommended UK by-election results: Everything you need to know in graphs ‘Baby of the House’: What we know about Keir Mather, the new youngest MP in the Commons Sunak will hold on to Uxbridge by-election result as a drowning man clings to driftwood Labour blames Ulez for by-election defeat in Boris Johnson’s former seat
Key Points Top Tories warn Sunak that Labour is heading for No 10 after disastrous by-elections Angela Rayner blames Labour loss in Uxbridge on Ulez Tories still in ‘deep electoral trouble’ despite Uxbridge win, says John Curtice Uxbridge victory shows anti-Ulez message ‘has now been delivered' Labour’s Keir Mather, 25, becomes youngest MP in the Commons
Show latest update 1689975168 New Selby MP has wanted to be PM since age six, grandmother says
The grandparents of new ‘Baby of the House’ Keir Mather have said that he has wanted to be prime minister since the age of six.
Mr Mather, who is just 25-years-old, won a historic victory in Selby and Ainsty in the recent by-election.
His grandmother told Channel 4: “I’ll tell you why he won - there’s no bull. He’s just an honest kid and that’s what people want. He was going to be prime minister, he told me when he was six or seven.”
His grandfather told the broadcaster: “We’re not surprised that he’s become an MP, just suprised that he’s won the victory that he did here today. We thought it was probably insurmountable. But he’s worked very hard and he deserves it.
“He’s one of six grandsons and he’s always been a leader and a mouthpiece for all of them.”
Newly elected Labour MP Keir Mather (left), with Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer at Selby football club, North Yorkshire, after winning the Selby and Ainsty by-election
(PA)
Holly Bancroft 21 July 2023 22:32
1689971246 Treasury eyes inherited pension pots
Tax breaks for people who inherit a pension could be taken away, according to a report in The Times.
Pensions are typically exempt from inheritance tax and a beneficiary can inherit one, keep it invested, and continue to withdraw an income without paying tax on it. This stops if the pension belongs to someone over 75, with income tax paid on withdrawals.
However the government are considering a plan to apply income tax to withdrawals no matter what the age, the paper reports.
Holly Bancroft 21 July 2023 21:27
1689967968 Recap: Sadiq Khan needs to ‘reflect’ on Ulez, Starmer says
Sir Keir Starmer has said that London mayor Sadiq Khan needs to “reflect” on the plan to extend London’s ultra-low emission zone following the Tory by-election win in Uxbridge & South Ruislip.
The Labour leader blamed the transport policy as “the reason we didn’t win there”.
“We know that. We heard that on the doors. We’ve all got to reflect on that, including the mayor. We’ve got to look at the result. The mayor needs to reflect. And it’s too early to say what should happen next.”
Mr Khan said he was “disappointed” at the Uxbridge result but said that pressing ahead with the Ulez expansion was the right thing to do.
“It was a difficult decision to take. But just like nobody will accept drinking dirty water, why accept dirty air?”
Sir Keir Starmer said the Uxbridge constituency was always going to be ‘tough’ (Danny Lawson/PA)
(PA Wire)
Holly Bancroft 21 July 2023 20:32
1689964234 The offending comment
Here is how Labour’s newest MP was called an ‘Inbetweener’ by a Tory.
From our Instagram:
William Mata 21 July 2023 19:30
1689962434 Home Office denies barge housing asylum is ‘floating prison'
The Home Office has denied its barge housing asylum seekers is a “floating prison” and said the people on board would be “free to come and go as they want”.
Gardening in nearby allotments and hiking tours of the area are among the activities which could be offered to some 500 migrants set to board the giant vessel now berthed on the most southerly point of Dorset’s Jurassic Coast.
Officials were keen to stress efforts the department had made to allay the concerns of people in Portland - a small island with a population of about 13,600 people - as they led a press tour of the vessel on Friday.
Deputy director for asylum accommodation Leanne Palk disputed claims made by campaigners about the facilities.
She said: “It isn’t a floating prison.
“People are free to come and go as they want, but we do have this secure fence line in place just so that people don’t wander around the port.
“It is a working port and we need to keep the safety of the asylum seekers on board the vessel at the heart of everything we do.”
Ms Palk said it was unlikely asylum seekers would leave the barge and never come back, adding: “They’ve got a vested interest in having their asylum claim processed.”
A view of the Bibby Stockholm accommodation barge
(AP)
PA 21 July 2023 19:00
1689960634 What do Uxbridge voters think of Boris Johnson?
ICYMI, this is what Uxbridge had to say about their departing MP.
William Mata 21 July 2023 18:30
1689960048 Government minister labelled ‘silly sod’ after Inbetweener’s comparison
Sir Keir Starmer has labelled a Government minister a “silly sod” who will “soon be history”, after Johnny Mercer compared the party’s new 25-year-old MP to a character from cult Channel 4 comedy The Inbetweeners.
The minister for Veterans’ Affairs said Keir Mather had been “dropped into” the Selby and Ainsty constituency and “spouted identikit Keir Starmer lines”, after earlier stating: “We don’t want Parliament to become like The Inbetweeners.”
The Labour leader hit back at Mr Mercer in Selby on Friday, as he celebrated the by-election victory alongside Mr Mather and deputy leader Angela Rayner.
Strolling along the pitch at Selby Town Football Club and surrounded by media, Sir Keir told the new MP: “There was some silly sod on the radio, on the television last night saying you were only 25.
The comments were picked up by an ITV camera crew and Sir Keir can be heard saying: “But the answer is, you’re 25 and you’ve made history and he’s whatever age he is and he’ll soon be history.”
Mr Mather will become the youngest MP in the Commons - the Baby of the House - after overturning a 20,137 Conservative majority to win the North Yorkshire seat for Labour.
The Inbetweeners, which aired in the late 2000s, follows four friends at school who end up in awkward and embarrassing situations as they try to enter adulthood.
Explaining his comments to Sky News on Friday, Mr Mercer said: “I think this synthetic outrage, identikit Labour politician is the opposite of what people like me came into politics for.
“He’s been at Oxford University more than he’s had a job, right? So if you can really apply that to the empathy required to understand what it’s really like in this country at the moment, in terms of the cost of living and all these experiences of these people he’s trying to represent.
“Personally, I don’t think that is conducive to good electoral representation and I’m more than entitled to have that view.”
Newly elected Labour MP Keir Mather, left, with Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer (Danny Lawson/PA)
(PA Wire)
PA 21 July 2023 18:20
1689957579 Live: Canada’s Finance minister speaks at Aspen Security Forum
Watch live as Canada’s deputy PM Chrystia Freeland speaks at Aspen Security Forum.
William Mata 21 July 2023 17:39
1689956250 What is now the make up of Parliament after the by-elections?
It is a net loss of two seats for the Conservative Party after Thursday’s by-elections but the Tories did unexpectedly manage to hang on to Uxbridge and West Ruislip.
It now means the make up is:
- Conservative: 353 -2
- Labour: 196 +1
- SNP: 44
- Liberal Democrat: 15 +1
- DUP: 8
- Plaid Cymru: 3
- Alba Party: 2
- SDLP: 2
- Alliance: 1
- Green Party: 1
- Reclaim Party: 1
- Independents: 16
- Sinn Fein: 7 - although the MPs do not take their seats in Parliament
The next election will be in January 2025 if not earlier
(PA Wire)
William Mata 21 July 2023 17:17
1689955819 Inside ‘quasi-prison’ barge set to house 500 migrants - as we go on board for the first time
With bunk beds, metal fencing and cabins for six people, Lizzie Dearden reports from the controversial Bibby Stockholm.
The accommodation barge will house up to 500 asylum seekers and is not a prison but does impose restrictions on how guests can come and go.
Calculations by The Independent show that, at full capacity, each asylum seeker will have less living space than an average car parking bay, even when taking shared spaces and outdoor courtyards into account.
Bibby Stockholm accommodation barge, which will house up to 500 asylum seekers
(AP)
William Mata 21 July 2023 17:10
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More about Elections Boris Johnson Rishi Sunak Conservatives Uxbridge and South Ruislip Selby keir starmer Labour by-election ULEZ
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1/ 1By election live: Sunak ‘faces general election disaster’ after losses
By election live: Sunak ‘faces general election disaster’ after losses
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