Eardley analysis: Not a rout but a bad set of results for Tories

Rishi Sunak has been spared becoming the archetypal premier curate since 1968 to suffer 3 by-elections successful a day.

But this is inactive a atrocious acceptable of results for his party. They person conscionable mislaid 2 sizeable majorities, with a historical displacement to Labour successful Selby and Ainsty and different monolithic plaything to the Lib Dems successful Somerton and Froome.

Both results overgarment a bleak representation for the Conservatives nationally.

They amusement that Rishi Sunak has been incapable to halt the enactment shedding seats astatine by-elections.

And they exemplify again that helium is struggling to alteration to electoral weather.

The stroke is softened a spot by the astonishment effect successful erstwhile PM Boris Johnson's aged spot Uxbridge and South Ruislip. Labour thought they would triumph present and they didn't.

The Conservatives enactment absorption to the enlargement of Ulez (the debased emanation portion that necessitate Londoners wage a regular complaint to usage little eco-friendly cars) astatine the bosom of their campaign.

That worked - and raises questions for Labour astir the aboriginal of the strategy successful outer London.

The Uxbridge effect means the representation this greeting is simply a spot much complicated.

The Lib Dems are cock-a-hoop and deliberation they are backmost successful concern successful the West Country.

Labour aren't arsenic blessed arsenic they could person been.

The Conservatives person been spared a rout, but inactive person a batch to beryllium acrophobic about.