Boris Johnson Says Tory By-Election Defeat Is His Fault
- Premier says government messaging ‘obscured’ in recent weeks
- Liberal Democrats took Tory stronghold of North Shropshire
Boris Johnson, U.K. prime minister in London, U.K., on Dec. 15.
Photographer: Hollie Adams/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
Boris Johnson said he takes “personal responsibility” and understands voters’ “frustrations” with his leadership after his ruling Conservatives lost a Parliamentary seat they held for nearly two centuries following weeks of turmoil and plummeting poll ratings.
The Liberal Democrats overturned a Tory majority of almost 23,000 votes to take the North Shropshire seat in the West Midlands that was previously held by former minister Owen Paterson. It followed a series of missteps by the premier that have badly dented his standing in the party and among the electorate.