The Conservatives lost two of the three seats in Thursday’s by-elections, with Labour capturing Selby and Ainsty and the Lib Dems securing Somerton and Frome.
In Uxbridge and South Ruislip, Boris Johnson’s abandoned seat, the Conservatives narrowly defeated Labour by 495 votes. Analysts believe Labour would have won but for Sadiq Khan’s ULEZ extension, which was opposed by many voters. The new MP is local councillor Steve Tuckwell, who came just ahead of Labour’s Danny Beales in the vote in the west London constituency.
The former prime minister's resignation as an MP last month prompted the vote in Uxbridge and South Ruislip.
Despite having lost his deposit in the Uxbridge by-election, Laurence Fox said he was happy with the outcome because he had defeated the Liberal Democrats.
But how many votes did Fox get?
How many votes did Laurence Fox get?
The actor turned Reclaim Party leader attracted 714 votes.
If things go well in Uxbridge and South Ruislip this evening, I give you the next PM of the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 🙇🏻♂️ pic.twitter.com/c5Hwu3yuxH
— The Reclaim Party (@thereclaimparty) July 20, 2023
While the votes were being counted, Mr Fox, who was backed by former Tory Andrew Bridgen, criticised the BBC for declining to interview him even if he won. Fox saw the evening as a victory for his party despite only receiving 2.31 per cent of the vote. He tried to beat the Greens, but came up 179 votes short.
Very pleased to come 4th and have beaten the @LibDems a long established party.
— Laurence Fox (@LozzaFox) July 21, 2023
Shows that promoting conservative values can win.
We are now in the mix. Mission accomplished.
Well done everyone for standing. Takes courage. Congratulations to Steve. Off for a nap. 💤 https://t.co/0Yl8ckMplW
In his message, Mr Fox expressed his happiness and emphasised the significance of upholding Conservative principles in order to gain a foothold in the democratic system. He praised Steve Tuckwell and complimented everyone for having the guts to run for office. He made a light-hearted remark about sleeping off the experience.
