English voters go to the polls today for two more by-elections where once comfortable Conservative seats could go to the UK Labour Party.
Following on other losses it would be a record number of defeats for any Tory government if it lost today’s votes in Wellingborough and Kingswood.
Both Wellingborough, in the East Midlands with a majority of 18,500 votes, and Kingswood, in the West Country with a majority of 11,000, would normally be safe Conservative seats.
But Labour has overturned bigger majorities than that in recent months.
And the Conservatives have lost now four by-elections to Labour and three to the Liberal Democrats while in power.
Labour were in second place in both constituencies in the last general election and are favoured to win in today’s vote.
Labour controversies
But the party has been hit by a number of controversies including the suspension of Azhar Ali, their candidate for the Rochdale by election later this month, after he made conspiracy theory claims against Israel.
Another Labour general election candidate Graham Jones has also been suspended for his anti-Israeli views including that British people who enlist in the Israeli army should be jailed.
However, the Conservatives are also under threat from the right-wing party Reform UK whose deputy leader Ben Habib is standing in Wellingborough.
Reform UK is currently on 10% in the national polls.
Meanwhile, the Liberal Democrats could even slip below that percentage because of tactical voting.
And because of the actions of their leader Ed Davey who was post office minister during the Horizon scandal when post masters were wrongfully convicted of fraud.
The vacancy in Wellingborough arose because veteran Brexiteer Peter Bone was forced to resign because of misconduct.
While in Kingswood, Chris Skidmore resigned in protest at his government’s decision to allow further gas and oil exploration licences.
The results of both by elections are due in the early hours of tomorrow morning.
