Boris Johnson's party suffers defeat in UK special election

The Conservatives, meanwhile, lost some support to the Brexit Party led by longtime euroskeptic figurehead Nigel Farage, which took 10% of the votes.

10% eh? I think Farage’s no-policies show might struggle in elections where people actually care about what the vote means.

Party lost a special election early Friday, leaving it with a one-vote working majority in Parliament

So Johnson has no time AND no margin for error.

Why should the EU agree to renegotiate again ?

They can just play chicken and see the UK's government accept the existing deal, or go without one. Let's see if Johnson's "tough talk" holds up to the pressure !

Here is the result of the by election:

Brecon & Radnorshire, result:

LDEM: 43.5% (+14.3)

CON: 39.0% (-9.6)

BREX: 10.5% (+10.5)

LAB: 5.3% (-12.5)

MRLP: 1.0% (+1.0)

UKIP: 0.8% (-0.6)

So, if we follow the logic of those opposed to leaving the EU used in the EU Parlamentary election:

Pro Brexit: CON + BREX + UKIP = 50.3%

Pro Remain: LDEM + LAB (also still not clear) = 48.8%

MRLP (Monster Raving Looney Party) = 1%

So, if we follow the logic of those opposed to leaving the EU used in the EU Parlamentary election:

Pro Brexit: CON + BREX + UKIP = 50.3%

Pro Remain: LDEM + LAB (also still not clear) = 48.8%

All of this based on the results of one seat which has an extremely low Labour following? Brecon and Radnorshire isn’t a bell weather seat by any stretch.

What did you think of the Brexit Party vote?

*bellwether

All of this based on the results of one seat which has an extremely low Labour following? Brecon and Radnorshire isn’t a bell weather seat by any stretch.

True, but one interpretation of the result is that the bulk of Labour vote switched to the Lib Dems.

Labour suffered the biggest percentage swing, losing more than two thirds of its vote.

What did you think of the Brexit Party vote?

Personally, I was very happy with the result. Here's why:

The Brexit Party stole 10.5% that would have gone to the Tories, which if it did, would have won them the by election. If that had happened, Boris & Co would know that they could get away with a wishy-washy Brexit. But now, they know that the Brexit Party will lose the Tories any election unless it goes for a WTO Brexit and works with the Brexit Party.

There was no way the Brexit Party had any chance of winning that by election at this stage. The Tories are in power with Boris promising Brexit by Oct 31, so of course, people who want it will support him. But if it doesn't happen by then, or if he tries to pass something akin to May's treaty, the Brexit Party will overtake the Tories in any election after.

I would also say Brecon and Radnorshire was a good bellwether for the EU referendum result. It voted 51.86% to leave.

Labour suffered the biggest percentage swing, losing more than two thirds of its vote.

Good point. I’ve got a bit of time for Jezza but he should be looking at a sizable lead in the polls given the state of the Tories, Farage’s empty circus tent and the useless Lib Dems.

Still, a Lab/Lib coalition looks the most palatable and realistic outcome of the next election.

Corbyn and his Momentum cult are losing voters in their droves, not that this constituency would return a Labour MP anyway. Unless they ditch Corbyn and his followers, Labour is finished.

Unless the Tories ditch Johnson, they are finished. One single seat majority means nothing will get done. If Johnson goes to the country we'll probably get a hung parliament.

@wipeout

Sure. This is where I got the figures:

http://democraticdashboard.com/constituency/brecon-and-radnorshire

I think you may be using the figures for Powys in its entirety. I am using the figures for the constituency of Brecon and Radnorshire, which was the area of the by election, and and as you mentioned, is only part of Powys.

This by election doesn’t show much that we don’t already know.

Conservatives rallying to save their party from oblivion; Labour suffering from Jeremy Corbyn and his lack of leadership; Brexit Party soaking up the UKIP vote and Remainers rallying around the Lib Dems.

The political deadlock continues.