UK's Conservatives suffer two damaging by-elections
Britain's ruling Conservative Party lost two parliament seats to Labour on Friday, another ominous setback for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and his party ahead of a general election expected next year. The by-election results – the latest in a string of traditionally safe Tory seats lost to rival parties in recent years – saw Labour overturn huge majorities to further fuel hopes of a return to power after nearly 14 years in opposition. Labour had played down its prospects in the Conservatives' previously "super safe" seats of Tamworth and Mid Bedfordshire, both in central England, which became vacant after their MPs quit, including one following sexual misconduct allegations. But Britain's ailing economy, the worst cost-of-living crisis in decades and several years of scandal and tumult within the Tories – who had three leaders within three months last year – helped trigger the historic outcome. In Mid Bedfordshire, a Conservative-held seat for almost a century, Labour overturned a majority of nearly 25,000 – the biggest swing at a by-election since 1945. Jubilant Labour leader Keir Starmer hailed the "phenomenal results" as showing his party "is back in the service of working people and redrawing the political map". "Winning in these Tory strongholds shows that people overwhelmingly want change and they're ready to put their faith in our changed Labour Party to deliver it," he added, ahead of a visit to Tamworth.  The Tamworth poll was triggered when Chris Pincher, who had the seat since 2010, quit after being found to have groped two men in an "egregious case of sexual misconduct". Then-prime minister Boris Johnson's handling of the case led to a raft of ministerial resignations that spelt the beginning of the end of his premiership. (AFP)