Boris Johnson worried that North Shropshire’s voters would give him a bleeding nose. He got more of a beating than a sentence.
Notorious by-elections can produce unexpected results. The seismic shock that this election brought was quite extraordinary.
After all, this rural constituency epitomised the phrase ‘True Blue’. Hugely pro-Brexit, it is Conservative with a big ‘C’. It has returned Tory MPs for every other two years of its existence.
Yet its seemingly impregnable 23,000 majority was demolished by the Liberal Democrats on the back of a gargantuan 34 per cent swing – the seventh largest since the Second World War.
DAILY MAIL COMMENT: Boris Johnson feared the voters of North Shropshire might give him a bloody nose. The punishment he received was closer to a beating.
However, the greatest tragedy in such an unignominious mauling was that it was openly invited by the Prime Minister.
Appalled voters deserted the Tories by abandoning the government in record numbers due to a torrent of errors, hypocrisys and other impropriety.
What a turn of events. Two years ago, Mr Johnson was the darling of his party, having demolished Labour’s Red Wall and served up a thumping 80-seat majority.
He was confident that he would win at least 2 terms. He is unlikely to survive the second round after such a humiliating defeat.
This was not a verdict on the party but its leader, make no mistake.
First, anger at his unfortunate attempt to stop the Commons suspension Owen Paterson’s flagrant violation of lobbying rules was expressed.
It looked corrupt, backfired spectacularly and led to Mr Paterson’s resignation – triggering this calamitous by-election.
DAILY MAIL COMMENT: By-elections are notorious for throwing up surprising results. The seismic shock that resulted from this election was quite extraordinary.
Then, there was the scandalous headlines regarding wallpaper, illegal lockdown Christmas parties and sleaze in Downing Street.
And most recently the slow creep back into lockdown, during which Mr Johnson appears to have sub-contracted Covid policy to unelected scientific advisers – with catastrophic results.
Omicron’s terrifying warnings have scared people, forcing them to retreat at their homes. This has led to struggling restaurants, bars, and shops closing at the peak of the year.
Worryingly, Johnson suggests that some blame for the humiliation at the polls lies with the electorate’s distraction from lurid headlines.
He’s 100 per cent wrong. It is No10 that has the most problems, thanks to its amateurish operation.
Daily Mail’s urgent message to PM is: It’s time to address the festering rot, and get rid of your own goals. Rediscover your Tory instincts.
Millions voted in favor of sound finances and less regulation. They also favored more individual freedom and a safer environment. They got tax-and spend, harsh lockdowns and an awful green agenda. There was also a Channel taxi for illegal immigrants.
So Mr Johnson must locate the reset button and press it – swiftly.
We also want to send a message out to the mutinous Tory backbenchers. Stop sharpening knives. It would be self-indulgent to engage in a bitter leadership battle while the pandemic is raging. Is there a viable alternative to this?
For all his faults, Boris remains the Conservatives’ most potent political asset, retaining an almost unique ability to speak to all parts of the country at once.
He is a clear cut winner over Sir Keir Sternmer, Labour leader, a self-confessed socialist, who also fought for Jeremy Corbyn’s appointment as prime minister and would be a disaster for the UK.
Despite the North Shropshire results being disappointing, mid-term is when most governments experience opinion poll slide.
Johnson is not to be written off. Johnson has always defied the laws of political gravity. He’s a winner. He can win again if he and his friends can come to an agreement.