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Polls opened at 7am this morning in both Wellingborough and Kingswood, in what is the next major test for Rishi Sunak.
It comes as the PM attempts to defend the Government’s record on the economy in the wake of today’s GDP figures showing the UK has fallen into a technical recession.
If the Conservative Party loses one or both of today’s by-elections, it will mean the Government has taken more by-election defeats in a single parliament than any government since the 1960s.
Chris Skidmore’s Kingswood seat had a Conservative majority of 11,220 in the 2019 general election but had previously been held by Labour from 1992 to 2010.
Polls opened at 7am this morning in both Wellingborough and Kingswood, in what is the next major test for Rishi Sunak
PA
Peter Bone’s majority in Wellingborough was 18,540 in 2019. He was forced to resign after he was found to have committed acts of bullying and sexual misconduct.
MPs prompted a recall petition by voting to suspend Brexit-backing backbencher Peter Bone for six weeks.
His partner, Helen Harrison, is standing for the Conservative Party in his seat.
Chris Skidmore quit the House of Commons last month in protest at the Government’s plans to issue new oil and gas licenses, saying he found himself increasingly at odds with government policy on the environment.
He said he had “no regrets” about leaving Parliament.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) this morning confirmed the UK economy contracted for the second quarter in a row in the final three months of 2023.
The economy shrank by 0.3 per cent in the final quarter of the year, which followed a decline of 0.1 per cent in the previous three months.
This is the first time the UK has entered recession since the COVID-19 lockdown – the economy plunged into reverse in the first half of 2020.
Peter Bone’s majority in Wellingborough was 18,540 in 2019
PA
Despite the two quarters of negative growth, Chancellor Jeremy Hunt seemed optimistic today, saying there are “signs” the economy is “turning a corner”.
He said: “High inflation is the single biggest barrier to growth which is why halving it has been our top priority. While interest rates are high – so the Bank of England can bring inflation down – low growth is not a surprise.
“But there are signs the British economy is turning a corner; forecasters agree that growth will strengthen over the next few years, wages are rising faster than prices, mortgage rates are down and unemployment remains low.
“Although times are still tough for many families, we must stick to the plan – cutting taxes on work and business to build a stronger economy.”
Chris Skidmore’s Kingswood seat had a Conservative majority of 11,220 in the 2019 general election
pa
But shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves said Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s pledge to grow the economy was “in tatters”.
She said: “The Prime Minister can no longer credibly claim that his plan is working or that he has turned the corner on more than 14 years of economic decline under the Conservatives that has left Britain worse off.
“This is Rishi Sunak’s recession and the news will be deeply worrying for families and businesses across Britain.”
Full list of candidates:
Kingswood
Wellingborough
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