00:00 It was a headache that the Prime Minister could have done without.
00:03 The resignation of three of his Conservative MPs last month, including his predecessor,
00:08 triggering by-elections at a time when one poll gave Labour a 25-point lead over the Tories.
00:15 The most convincing victory of the night came from Somerton and Froome.
00:19 And it was not good news for Rishi Sunak.
00:21 Five, four, three, two, one!
00:26 [Cheering]
00:28 The Liberal Democrat Sarah Dyke taking 55% of the vote share and winning by a majority of 11,000.
00:35 Although the Lib Dems once had a strong presence in the south-west of England,
00:39 this constituency has been traditionally blue,
00:41 the Conservatives winning by majorities of 20,000 in the previous three elections.
00:46 Tonight has been a stunning and historic victory for the Liberal Democrats.
00:54 And it shows once and for all, the Liberal Democrats are back in the West Country.
01:03 [Cheering]
01:06 Last night, the people of Somerton and Froome spoke to the whole country.
01:11 And they sent a powerful message to this appalling Conservative government.
01:18 Ringmaster Rishi is out of ideas, he's out of touch and he's out of excuses.
01:25 In Yorkshire, the Parliamentary Labour Party gained another care.
01:29 25-year-old Mr Mather overtaking party colleague Nadia Whitham as the baby of the house.
01:35 He overturned a Conservative majority of 20,000 in the traditionally safe Tory seat of Selby and Ainsty.
01:42 In this campaign, we have rewritten the rules on where Labour can win.
01:47 People have opened their doors to us and embraced our positive vision for the future.
01:52 And thousands of the votes cast yesterday were in Labour's box for the very first time.
01:58 After we've now changed the party, we can win anywhere, including in places that were Tory strongholds.
02:05 So I know the people in this constituency have put their trust in the Labour Party,
02:10 in Keir Mather as the new MP, and we will deliver on that trust.
02:14 Conservative Minister Johnny Mercer took his party's defeat with good grace,
02:18 comparing the youthful new MP to the in-betweeners.
02:22 Mr Mercer will therefore have been reassured by the older head of Conservative councillor Steve Tocqueville in north-west London.
02:29 A plethora of candidates to choose from in the Uxbridge and South Ryslip by-election,
02:33 but voters plumped for Boris Johnson's direct replacement, albeit with a majority of only 500,
02:39 ensuring the night wasn't the whitewash the Tories feared.
02:42 The pundits expected Labour to win big here, but our community came together,
02:46 and I am thankful to them and the hundreds of activists that came out to deliver this message.
02:52 This wasn't the campaign Labour expected, and Keir Starmer and his mayor, Sadiq Khan,
02:57 need to sit up and listen to the Uxbridge and South Ryslip residents. Thank you.
03:05 Westminster's been acting like the next election's a done deal.
03:07 The Labour Party's been acting like it's a done deal.
03:10 The people of Uxbridge just told all of them that it's not.
03:13 Now, no-one expected us to win here, but Steve's victory demonstrates
03:18 that when confronted with the actual reality of the Labour Party,
03:22 when there's an actual choice on a matter of substance at stake, people vote Conservative.
03:27 The Prime Minister has vowed to double down on his existing policies to win over the public heading into the next general election.
03:35 The outcome of that may not be a done deal,
03:37 although recent polls and results suggest Rishi Sunak has a tough job on his hands
03:42 convincing British voters of the merits of a fifth Conservative term.
03:46 (applause)
03:48 (audience applauding)
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