Big defeats for Tories but party holds on to Uxbridge

England headed to the polls yesterday in a triple by-election that saw the Tories lose two seats but managed to cling onto Uxbridge. 

In Somerton and Frome the Lib Dems overturned a majority of more than 19,000 with a 29% swing. 

And Labour made history, overturning a majority of 20,137 to take the North Yorkshire seat of Selby and Ainsty. 

However, the Conservatives did manage to hold on to former PM Boris Johnson’s old Uxbridge and South Ruislip seat. 

Still, they only managed to cling onto the seat – there was still a 6.7% swing to Labour. Tories were able to capitalise on local anger over the planned expansion of the Ulez Ultra Low Emissions Zone to outer London under Labour mayor Sadiq Khan, winning the seat by just 495 votes. 

It was still a tough night for the Conservatives, who are trailing Labour in the national polls ahead of an expected general election next year.