Voters will head to the polls this morning in two crucial by-elections that are seen as a key test for Boris Johnson’s leadership.
In Wakefield, a former industrial area in West Yorkshire, the election was triggered by the resignation of Imran Ahmad Khan.
Wakefield was one of the so-called Red Wall seats won by the Tories in the 2019 general election after being a Labour stronghold since the 1930s, but Labour is now hoping to take it back.
In Devon’s Tiverton & Honiton constituency, Neil Parish – the Tory MP since 2010 – also stepped down earlier this year.
The Liberal Democrats are the main challenger in this rural south-western constituency, where they are hoping to recreate by-election wins in North Shropshire in December and Chesham and Amersham a year ago.
But victory for the Lib Dems would require overturning a Conservative majority of 24,239.
