Predictably, Boris Johnson Is Off To A Disastrous Start As Prime Minister

The first test of Boris Johnson's premiership came yesterday. First, remember that Johnson wasn't elected to head the U.K. government by British voters, just by a small number of Conservative Party activists. The zany Trumpist who now heads the U.K. is far to the right of the general electorate and after his party's loss of a seat in Wales yesterday, has a working plurality in Parliament of exactly one vote. So here's what happened.

The by-election was in the rural Brecon and Radnorshire constituency in Wales, where Conservative MP Chris Davies had been convicted of typical conservative shenanigans with his expenses. The Tories had held the seat since 2015 but before that, it was Lib-Dem seat since 1997. Turnout yesterday was 59.8% and Davies was beaten by Liberal Democrat Jane Dodds:

• Liberal Democrats- 13,825 (44%)
• Conservatives- 12,401 (39%)
• Brexit Party- 3,331 (11%)
• Labour- 1,680 (5%)
• Monster Raving Loony Party- 334 (1%)
• UKIP- 242 (0.8%)

In the last election, the Conservative majority was over 8,000 votes. In this contest, the Conservatives spent ‎£6,215 on 55 ads, while the Liberal Democrats spent ‎£1,442 on 18 ads and Labour spent ‎£413 on 4 ads.

Also note that the "leave" parties pulled more votes than the "remain" parties.

In her acceptance speech, Dodds said: “I am incredibly humbled by the support. From every walk of life and every political persuasion, people have chosen to believe in my positive liberal vision for something better.

“And by backing that liberal vision, people in Brecon and Radnorshire have sent a powerful message to Westminster: we demand better.”

She continued: “People are desperately crying out for a different kind of politics. There is no time for tribalism when our country is faced with a Boris Johnson government and the threat of a no-deal Brexit.

“My very first act as your MP when I arrive in Westminster will be to find Mr Boris Johnson, wherever he’s hiding, and tell him loud and clear: stop playing with the futures of our communities and rule out a no-deal Brexit.”

The leader of the Liberal Democrats, Jo Swinson, who visited the constituency four times in the run-up to the byelection, said the results showed that the country did not have to settle for Johnson or Jeremy Corbyn.

“Boris Johnson’s shrinking majority makes it clear that he has no mandate to crash us out of the EU. As leader of the Liberal Democrats, I will do whatever it takes to stop Brexit and offer an alternative, positive vision for a richer, greener and safer future. Britain demands better than what the tired old parties can give.”

Swinson also thanked Plaid Cymru and the Green party for not contesting this byelection so as to avoid splitting the remain vote.

Ed Davey, the Lib Dem MP for Kingston and Surbiton, called it “a huge result”, adding: “The Brecon and Radnorshire byelection was the front line of the stop Brexit campaign. This is going to make Boris Johnson’s job that much more difficult, and for those of us who are desperate to stop Brexit it’s a crucial moment.”

The leader of Plaid Cymru, Adam Price, said: “The people of Brecon and Radnorshire have spoken. It’s now time that people throughout these islands are heard, too, in a final say referendum.

“But if the prime minister is intent on a general election, he should know that Plaid Cymru and the other pro-remain parties are committed to cooperating so that we beat Brexit once and for all.”

The byelection in mid-Wales was called following the ousting from parliament of the Tory MP Chris Davies after he was found guilty of submitting a false expenses claim. Despite the scandal, Davies was chosen to stand again.

...Prof Roger Awan-Scully, the head of politics and international relations at Cardiff University... said it had been a dreadful night for Labour. “There’s lots of dissatisfaction with Jeremy Corbyn, lots of dissatisfaction with the direction of the party. In its ultimate historic bastion of Wales I think Labour is in some serious trouble.”