But it does put a lot of pressure on him. See what BS and blister he comes up with this time.
Delivering on Brexit, best employment ever yadda yadda whiff whaff….

You’d hope it shows that lurching to the right on Rwanda, ECHR etc isn’t working and that he needs to ditch them, instead I reckon he’ll double down

52% turnout for a by-election is notable but a 30% swing is exceptional, party chairman resigning is priceless. They really didn’t want the conservatives and came out to make sure. And more than 50% of votes cast for the LDs. Must read well for a general election. The south west returning to its liberal roots.

Results

Richard Foord (LD) 22,537 (52.91%, +38.14%)
Helen Hurford (Con) 16,393 (38.49%, -21.72%)
Liz Pole (Lab) 1,562 (3.67%, -15.88%)
Gill Westcott (Green) 1,064 (2.50%, -1.34%)

LD maj 6,144 (14.43%)
29.93% swing Con to LD
Electorate 81,661; Turnout 42,591 (52.16%)
2019 Con maj 24,239

That is a pretty awful result for the Lib Dems. I just watched Helen Hurford defending Boris, just dreadful, dreadful – how was there *anyone* who voted for her?

Incredibly satisfying news this morning!

 instead I reckon he’ll double down

Yup

We could probably have a little desperation policy bingo in fact. Bring back pounds, shillings and pence perhaps?

Apparently Dowden was due on the the morning media rounds but no minister stepping up to replace him

We could probably have a little desperation policy bingo in fact. Bring back pounds, shillings and pence perhaps?

Only if he can privatise the Mint and let some ‘suitable’ chaps run it…

That is a pretty awful result for the Lib Dems.

It is?

Dowden ran off with the day’s brief. leaving Raab to write his own.

the tories have nailed their flag to the johnson mast and going to go down with all hands

There is only one person to blame for the Wakefield result.

The main reason that Wakefield's swing voters chose Labour was "Boris Johnson tried to cover up partygate, and lied to the public", followed by "Boris Johnson is not in touch with working-class people". pic.twitter.com/jrSDti39wB

— James Johnson (@jamesjohnson252) June 24, 2022

And our focus groups suggested the same was true in Tiverton and Honiton too. https://t.co/gglGvgy9Fn

— James Johnson (@jamesjohnson252) June 24, 2022

Notable that dowden said ‘someone’ must take responsibility now he’s jacked is he that someone? letting bojo off the hook yet again overall a good result😁

Has Carrie got the tory chairperson job yet?

We won’t see her in public for a while. She’ll be in the fridge, hiding away.

A swing to the Libdems in a by-election is a warning, not an outright rejection.

The Wakefield result is a win for Labour, but not a landslide, Boris is very obviously damaging the Tories, but if he were to go tomorrow, I reckon their odds would still improve at the next GE…

🧵 In the light of his resignation let’s remember all the good work that Oliver Dowden has done for the country…(1/1)

— Michael Spicer (@MrMichaelSpicer) June 24, 2022

Wouldn’t at all be surprised to see an RMT strike resolution over the weekend, with Boris allowing a 7% rise, in attempt to rise his popularity out of the deepest cess pit.

Haven’t read bruneep’s link but while it’s enjoyable to see Dowden resign for just what it symbolises, it’s worth remembering what a pernicious **** he is. Dorries, as culture secretary, is useless and I’d rather see competence over that any day, everyone knows she’s just bit crazy and very few take her seriously. Dowden was a lot more damaging in his role. Properly scary at times in the levels to which he’d sink waging the anti-woke (forgive me, couldn’t think of anything else) culture war. He’s pissing off now as I guess he knows Johnson’s days are numbered, but he’ll be back.

Only if he can privatise the Mint and let some ‘suitable’ chaps run it…

Quite

A swing to the Libdems in a by-election is a warning, not an outright rejection.

The Wakefield result is a win for Labour, but not a landslide, Boris is very obviously damaging the Tories, but if he were to go tomorrow, I reckon their odds would still improve at the next GE…

A sensible perspective I think. Boris is the problem, not the Tory policies, is how many will see it.

Just came on here to say this:

“Ahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha”.

There will be a queue of Tory MPs to stab the power-crazed maniac in the back at this point.

….and the Tories voted to keep the toxic turd for another year.
Every scumbag mp is going to get a massive skidmark right up their back.
All Tories are ****.

Woke up to some excellent news, Tiverton isn’t Tory for the first time in 99 years. Wakefield is now a Labour constituency and the odious toad Oliver Dowden has quit.

Anyone who saw me in my car driving to work would’ve seen me laughing hysterically as I listened to Dominic Raab flailing around being interviewed for Radio 4. There is no plan beyond a steady slide towards authoritarianism and global irrelevance.

A sensible perspective I think. Boris is the problem, not the Tory policies, is how many will see it.

They have policies?

Yeah, Raab was not very good (is he ever?) On R4

They have policies?

I wrote to grayling saying shitti Patel should execute refugees on Ant and Dec to revive their fortunes.

They have policies?

Stay in power at all costs
Asset strip the UK for everything it has
Get rich quick
**** the poor

Much like when Blackadder describes the MP Sir Talbot Buxomly:
Well, according to `Who’s Who’, his interests include flogging servants, shooting poor people, and the extension of slavery to anyone who hasn’t got a knighthood.
and Prince George replies: Excellent – sensible policies for a happier Britain!

I’m all up for ‘anyone but a Tory’ voting, but I do have a nagging doubt that the Lib Dems would jump into a coalition with the tories again at the first sniff of some power and influence. However, a bit like Tiverton, it’s the only hope of getting the Tory out. (West Devon and Torridge)

Surely this must be the end?

Not a chance. This is just something else to throw into the mix, along with all the rest of it. He is completely devoid of shame and has no interest in anything other than himself and his perceived entitlement to be PM

Boris Johnson will be thinking only one thing this morning. “They can’t have another vote of no confidence in me for another twelve months”. Nothing else will even register with him.

He’s going to take the whole ship and crew down with him. Which would be great if that was just the Tory party, but unfortunately we’re all on board with them

They have policies?

Yep:

There is no plan beyond a steady slide towards authoritarianism 

As in:

https://www.theguardian.com/law/2022/jun/23/dramatic-fall-in-successful-high-court-challenges-to-government-policy

I’m seeing reports on Twitter that the Conservative candidate for Tiverton barricaded herself into a room during the count before storming off once the result was announced.

As Devon Live Reports

It’s pretty obvious that Helen Hurford has zero people skills. Her career is a little murky too, I can’t quite figure out whether she’s a former school head or the manager of a nail bar.

Either way, the Tories are forced into scraping the bottom of the candidate barrel.

A sensible perspective I think. Boris is the problem, not the Tory policies, is how many will see it.—-

They have policies

Exactly, problem for the Tories is that they have nothing beyond far right posturing, when there’s a cost of living crisis to deal with.

The other pachyderm in the pantry is that the potential replacements are beyond horrendous!!

1922 Committee meeting this evening, will be rule change by Monday. I’ll give it a month. Tories are ruthless when their majority is on the line. Raab is always poor on Today, never convincing. Probably because he’s not convinced himself, and he’s not stupid either.

This thread sums it all up

Nothing illustrates the Tories problem better than this.

Raab going from saying "we've had distractions" to "but focus on what we are doing….I've published a British bill of rights" in just a few breaths. https://t.co/SUrhhIKuLq

— Chris Curtis (@chriscurtis94) June 24, 2022

Raaaaaaab is stupid. No idea of how the world works.

Raab is always poor on Today, never convincing. Probably because he’s not convinced himself…

Raab is about as hard-right as they get, which is why he has a cabinet job right now.

…and he’s not stupid either.

Au contraire.

No idea of how the world works.

That’s not the game though. The game is how POLITICS works. Top Grammar School in Buckinghamshire, Law at Oxford and a Masters from Cambridge, he’s not stupid.

I’m seeing reports on Twitter that the Conservative candidate for Tiverton barricaded herself into a room during the count before storming off once the result was announced.

Perhaps there were simply no convenient fridges nearby?

Hurford was a terrible candidate

Unfortunately she’s pretty similar to a lot of cabinet!

Raab also keeps bringing up the “high wages” line this morning, as the answer to “what’s the plan” questions… after a week of ministers talking against higher wages.