By-election disasters leave Boris Johnson and his party running out of options

Polling data since partygate has consistently suggested they were at risk

The results of Thursday’s by-elections are unquestionably bad news for the Conservative Party and a Prime Minister whose key selling point has been that he is an election winner (Ian Vogler/Daily Mirror/PA)

The results of Thursday’s by-elections in Britain are unquestionably bad for the Conservative Party and a prime minister whose key selling point has been that he is an election winner.

The result in Wakefield will give pause for thought to the northern Tories, elected with relatively slim majorities in 2019, who so far have largely backed Boris Johnson, believing he won them their seats and could do so again.