2022 Tiverton and Honiton by-election
{{Short description|UK parliamentary by-election}}
{{Use British English|date=April 2022}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2022}}
{{Infobox election
| election_name = 2022 Tiverton and Honiton by-election
| type = parliamentary
| turnout = 52.3% ({{decrease}}19.6 pp)
| seats_for_election = Tiverton and Honiton constituency
| ongoing = no
| previous_election = 2019 United Kingdom general election
| previous_year = 2019
| next_election = 2024 United Kingdom general election
| next_year = 2024
| election_date = 23 June 2022
| map_image =
| map_size =
| map_caption =
| candidate1 = {{nowrap|Richard Foord}}
| image1 = {{CSS image crop|Image = Official portrait of Richard Foord, 2022 (cropped).jpg|bSize = 105|cWidth = 105|cHeight = 140|oTop = 0|oLeft = 0}}
| party1 = Liberal Democrats (UK)
| popular_vote1 = 22,537
| percentage1 = 52.9%
| swing1 = {{increase}}38.0 pp
| image2 =
| candidate2 = {{nowrap|Helen Hurford}}
| party2 = Conservative Party (UK)
| popular_vote2 = 16,393
| percentage2 = 38.5%
| swing2 = {{decrease}}21.7pp
| title = MP
| before_election = Neil Parish
| before_party = Conservative Party (UK)
| after_election = Richard Foord
| after_party = Liberal Democrats (UK)
| country = United Kingdom
}}
A by-election for the United Kingdom parliamentary constituency of Tiverton and Honiton was held on 23 June 2022.{{Cite news |last=Doherty |first=Caitlin |date=17 May 2022 |title=Wakefield by-election: Writ laid in Parliament for vote in West Yorkshire constituency |work=Yorkshire Post |url=https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/politics/wakefield-by-election-writ-laid-in-parliament-for-vote-in-west-yorkshire-constituency-3697187 |url-status=live |access-date=17 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220517125915/https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/politics/wakefield-by-election-writ-laid-in-parliament-for-vote-in-west-yorkshire-constituency-3697187 |archive-date=17 May 2022}} The vacancy was caused by the resignation on 4 May 2022 of the incumbent Member of Parliament (MP), Neil Parish of the Conservative Party,{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/tiverton-conservative-caroline-nokes-chancellor-of-the-exchequer-commons-b2071432.html|title=Neil Parish formally resigns after admitting watching pornography in the Commons|first=David|last=Lynch |work=Independent |date=4 May 2022|accessdate=4 May 2022|archive-date=4 May 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220504191916/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/tiverton-conservative-caroline-nokes-chancellor-of-the-exchequer-commons-b2071432.html|url-status=live}} following his admission to accusations that he viewed pornography on his mobile phone in the House of Commons chamber.{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/apr/30/tory-neil-parish-resigns-mp-commons-porn-allegations |title=Tory Neil Parish to resign as MP after porn 'moment of madness' |work=The Guardian |date=30 April 2022 |accessdate=30 April 2022| last = Ambrose|first = Tom|archive-date = 30 April 2022|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20220430134618/https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/apr/30/tory-neil-parish-resigns-mp-commons-porn-allegations|url-status = live}}{{cite web |title=Manor of Northstead |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/manor-of-northstead--12 |website=GOV.uk |access-date=4 May 2022 |date=4 May 2022 |archive-date=4 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220504120126/https://www.gov.uk/government/news/manor-of-northstead--12 |url-status=live }}
The election was won by Richard Foord of the Liberal Democrats. The Conservative majority of 24,239 in the 2019 general election is thought to have been the largest majority ever overturned in a by-election.{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/jun/24/tories-lose-byelections-wakefield-tiverton-honiton-labour-lib-dems |title=Tories lose two key byelections on same night in Wakefield and Tiverton and Honiton |first=Peter |last=Walker |newspaper=The Guardian |date=24 June 2022}} It was the party's third gain from the Conservatives since the 2019 general election, following their victory at Chesham and Amersham in June 2021, and in North Shropshire in December 2021.{{Cite news|title=Tories lose North Shropshire seat they held for nearly 200 years|work=BBC News|date=17 December 2021|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-shropshire-59693102|access-date=27 June 2022|archive-date=17 December 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211217084843/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-shropshire-59693102|url-status=live}}
The election was held on the same day as the Wakefield by-election in West Yorkshire,{{Cite news |title=Boris Johnson faces test as Wakefield and Tiverton and Honiton by-elections triggered |url=https://news.sky.com/story/boris-johnson-faces-test-as-wakefield-and-tiverton-and-honiton-by-elections-triggered-12615099 |last=Ford Rojas |first=John-Paul |date=17 May 2022 |access-date=17 May 2022 |work=Sky News |archive-date=17 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220517140504/https://news.sky.com/story/boris-johnson-faces-test-as-wakefield-and-tiverton-and-honiton-by-elections-triggered-12615099 |url-status=live }} which the Conservatives lost to the Labour Party. This was the first time since the 1991 Kincardine and Deeside and Langbaurgh by-elections that a British government has lost two seats in by-elections on the same day.
Background
=Constituency=
Tiverton and Honiton lies in Devon and the constituency is primarily rural, with major settlements being the towns of Tiverton and Honiton. Other towns include Axminster, Seaton and Cullompton. In the 2016 EU referendum, 57.8% of the voters who turned out voted to leave the European Union.{{cite news |url=https://inews.co.uk/news/politics/every-leave-constituency-with-a-remain-mp-62387 |title=Every Leave constituency where the MP voted Remain |last1=Hughes |first1=Pascale |last2=Ashdown |first2=Harry |date=12 May 2017 |work=i |accessdate=30 April 2022 |archive-date=30 April 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220430234754/https://inews.co.uk/news/politics/every-leave-constituency-with-a-remain-mp-62387|url-status=live}}{{cite news |last=Clarke |first=Lewis |date=14 October 2019 |title=The Brexit Party announce Parliamentary Candidate for Tiverton & Honiton |url=https://www.devonlive.com/news/local-news/brexit-party-announce-parliamentary-candidate-3425874 |access-date=30 April 2022 |work=DevonLive |archive-date=30 April 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220430234955/https://www.devonlive.com/news/local-news/brexit-party-announce-parliamentary-candidate-3425874 |url-status=live }}
The by-election was the ninth of the 2019 Parliament. The seat was said by The Guardian to be, on paper at least, one of the safest in the country for the Conservatives,{{cite news |date=30 April 2022 |title=Lib Dems 'going for it' in hope of repeat by-election upset in Neil Parish's seat |last=Woodcock |first=Andrew |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/neil-parish-tiverton-honiton-byelection-b2069092.html |access-date=30 April 2022 |work=Independent |archive-date=30 April 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220430152640/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/neil-parish-tiverton-honiton-byelection-b2069092.html |url-status=live }} with the party having held the constituency since its creation in 1997 by increasing margins, with its inaugural election in 1997 representing the closest result in the seat, with just 1,653 votes or three percentage points separating the winning Conservative candidate and the Liberal Democrat opponent.{{cite news |url=https://inews.co.uk/news/when-tiverton-and-honiton-by-election-replacing-neil-parish-explained-1604899 |title=When will the Tiverton and Honiton by-election be? Parliamentary rules for replacing Neil Parish explained |last=Guyoncourt |first=Sally |date=30 April 2022 |work=i |access-date=30 April 2022|archive-date=30 April 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220430212207/https://inews.co.uk/news/when-tiverton-and-honiton-by-election-replacing-neil-parish-explained-1604899|url-status=live}}
=Trigger=
{{see also|Neil Parish#Pornography investigation}}
Popular incumbent Parish was first elected as a Conservative MP in the 2010 general election. A female Conservative MP complained on 25 April 2022 to the party's Chief Whip about a male colleague having watched pornography on his mobile phone in the Commons chamber, without identifying the individual.{{Cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/apr/27/chief-whip-investigates-reports-tory-mp-watched-porn-in-house-of-commons |title=Chief whip investigates reports Tory MP watched porn in House of Commons | last=Mason | first=Rowena | work=The Guardian |date=27 April 2022 | access-date=6 May 2022 | archive-date=6 May 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220506112939/https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/apr/27/chief-whip-investigates-reports-tory-mp-watched-porn-in-house-of-commons | url-status=live }} This was later identified to be Parish. He was alleged to have watched pornography on two occasions in the House of Commons. Parish said the first occasion was accidental, as he discovered a pornographic website during a search related to tractors,{{Cite news |date=1 May 2022 |title='Porn MP' Neil Parish may have been looking for a Claas Dominator tractor, allies suggest |last=Duffy |first=Nick |url=https://inews.co.uk/news/politics/porn-mp-neil-parish-may-have-been-looking-for-a-claas-dominator-tractor-allies-suggest-1605703 |access-date=5 May 2022 |work=i |archive-date=4 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220504180914/https://inews.co.uk/news/politics/porn-mp-neil-parish-may-have-been-looking-for-a-claas-dominator-tractor-allies-suggest-1605703 |url-status=live }} but admitted that the second occasion had been intentional, and announced his intention to resign as an MP on 30 April 2022.
On 4 May, Parish was appointed to the position of Steward and Bailiff of the Manor of Northstead, disqualifying him from being an MP, which is a mechanism by which an MP's resignation is put into effect.{{Cite news |date=4 May 2022 |title=MP Neil Parish who watched porn in Commons resigns |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-devon-61323557 |access-date=5 May 2022 |archive-date=5 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220505122844/https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-devon-61323557 |url-status=live }}{{Cite news |last=Gliddon |first=Becca |date=5 May 2022 |title=Tory Neil Parish formally quits as MP for Tiverton and Honiton |work=East Devon News |url=https://eastdevonnews.co.uk/2022/05/05/tory-neil-parish-formally-quits-as-mp-for-tiverton-and-honiton/ |url-status=live |access-date=6 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220505112747/https://eastdevonnews.co.uk/2022/05/05/tory-neil-parish-formally-quits-as-mp-for-tiverton-and-honiton/ |archive-date=5 May 2022}}
On 17 May, the writ was moved by the Chief Whip, Chris Heaton-Harris, formally triggering the by-election.
On 19 May, the acting returning officer published the notice of the election confirming the timetable with the poll taking place on Thursday 23 June 2022,{{cite web |title=Notice of Election - Tiverton and Honiton Constituency - MIDDEVON.GOV.UK |url=https://www.middevon.gov.uk/your-council/voting-elections/2022-elections/notice-of-election-tiverton-and-honiton-constituency/ |access-date=22 May 2022 |website=www.middevon.gov.uk |archive-date=19 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220519103138/https://www.middevon.gov.uk/your-council/voting-elections/2022-elections/notice-of-election-tiverton-and-honiton-constituency/ |url-status=live }} the same day as the Wakefield by-election.{{cite web |url=https://www.wakefield.gov.uk/elections/wakefield-constituency-parliamentary-by-election |access-date=22 May 2022 |website=www.wakefield.gov.uk |title=Wakefield Constituency Parliamentary by Election – Thursday, 23 June 2022 |archive-date=19 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220519081942/https://www.wakefield.gov.uk/elections/wakefield-constituency-parliamentary-by-election |url-status=live }}
Campaign
Labour frontbench sources confirmed that senior Labour figures had told them the party would be "soft-pedalling" the campaign in the by-election in order to allow the Liberal Democrats an easier shot at winning. A Labour spokesperson did not deny this, but confirmed they would be standing a candidate.{{Cite news|url=https://www.politicshome.com/news/article/labour-frontbenchers-told-to-stay-away-from-tiverton-honiton-let-lib-dems-tories-byelection|title=Senior Labour MPs Told To Step Back From Tiverton By-Election Campaign To Make Way For Lib Dems|last1=Tolhurst|first1=Alain|last2=Rodgers|first2=Sienna|date=17 May 2022|work=Politics Home|access-date=18 May 2022|archive-date=18 May 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220518110932/https://www.politicshome.com/news/article/labour-frontbenchers-told-to-stay-away-from-tiverton-honiton-let-lib-dems-tories-byelection|url-status=live}}
The Times reported a focus group for Times Radio had found that voters in the constituency who supported the Tories in the last election were swinging towards the Liberal Democrats as they lost faith in Conservative Prime Minister Boris Johnson.{{cite news |last=Smyth |first=Chris |date=13 May 2022 |title=Tiverton & Honiton: Voters in porn MP by-election desert Johnson's Tories |url=https://www.thetimes.com/article/tiverton-amp-honiton-voters-in-porn-mp-by-election-desert-johnsons-tories-jk5lsstt3 |work=The Times |access-date=22 May 2022 |archive-date=17 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220517202705/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/tiverton-amp-honiton-voters-in-porn-mp-by-election-desert-johnsons-tories-jk5lsstt3 |url-status=live }}
Cllr Paul Arnott, the leader of East Devon District Council, and of the East Devon Alliance Independents group on the council, announced he had joined the national Liberal Democrats party and supported them in the by-election.{{cite news |last=Arnott |first=Paul |date=7 June 2022 |title=East Devon District Council leader joins national Lib Dems ahead of by-election |work=Sidmouth Herald |url=https://www.sidmouthherald.co.uk/news/local-council/paul-arnott-joins-lib-dems-east-devon-9021048 |url-status=live |access-date=8 June 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220607202155/https://www.sidmouthherald.co.uk/news/local-council/paul-arnott-joins-lib-dems-east-devon-9021048 |archive-date=7 June 2022}}
On 15 June, The Guardian reported on internal polling carried out by the Liberal Democrats based on 'tens of thousands of voter contacts', which found that the Conservatives had 46% support and the Lib Dems were marginally behind at 44%. The Lib Dems said they had a 4% deficit at the same time before the North Shropshire by-election, which they won.{{cite news |last1=Walker |first1=Peter |title=Lib Dems say they trail only narrowly in Tiverton and Honiton race |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/jun/15/lib-dems-say-they-trail-only-narrowly-in-tiverton-and-honiton-race |access-date=15 June 2022 |work=The Guardian |date=15 June 2022}} Further internal polling by the Liberal Democrats, reported on by the i newspaper on 20 June, put the Liberal Democrats and the Conservatives neck-and-neck, with both garnering 45% of the vote.{{cite news |last1=Parsley |first1=David |title=Tiverton and Honiton by-election polls: New Lib Dem poll suggests potential disaster for Boris Johnson |url=https://inews.co.uk/news/politics/tiverton-and-honiton-by-election-polls-lib-dems-neck-and-neck-conservatives-tories-1696168 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20220620165033/https://inews.co.uk/news/politics/tiverton-and-honiton-by-election-polls-lib-dems-neck-and-neck-conservatives-tories-1696168 |url-status=dead |archive-date=2022-06-20 |access-date=20 June 2022 |work=The i paper|date=20 June 2022}} According to Daily Mirror journalist Rachel Wearmouth, internal data – not disclosed until after the polls had closed – showed the Liberal Democrats 5% ahead of the Conservatives over the weekend prior to the by-election.{{Cite tweet |user=REWearmouth |last=Wearmouth |first=Rachel |number=1540104213182693378 |title=Lib Dem source tells me the party’s returns had them ahead by 5% at weekend. They worked on “too close to call” basis in final days & say huge GOTV effort has put them in a good position.}}
The poor condition of Tiverton High School was reportedly an important issue in the campaign.{{Cite web |last=Blackledge |first=Sam |date=2022-06-17 |title=The high school in such bad condition it's poses a 'risk to life' |url=https://www.itv.com/news/westcountry/2022-06-17/the-high-school-in-such-bad-condition-its-poses-a-risk-to-life |access-date=2022-06-25 |website=ITV News |language=en}}
Candidates
Parish said that he might run in the by-election as an independent, stating that he had been pledged financial support.{{cite news |last1=Hope |first1=Christopher |last2=Boycott-Owen |first2=Mason |title='Porn MP' Neil Parish could stand against Conservatives in by-election |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2022/05/12/porn-mp-neil-parish-could-stand-against-conservatives-by-election/ |access-date=13 May 2022 |work=The Telegraph |date=12 May 2022 |archive-date=12 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220512234045/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2022/05/12/porn-mp-neil-parish-could-stand-against-conservatives-by-election/ |url-status=live }} However, he ultimately did not appear on the list of candidates.{{cite web |date=25 May 2022 |title=Statement of Persons Nominated and Notice of Poll |url=https://www.middevon.gov.uk/your-council/voting-elections/2022-elections/tiverton-and-honiton-parliamentary-election/statement-of-persons-nominated-tiverton-and-honiton-parliamentary-constituency/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220525171836/https://www.middevon.gov.uk/your-council/voting-elections/2022-elections/tiverton-and-honiton-parliamentary-election/statement-of-persons-nominated-tiverton-and-honiton-parliamentary-constituency/ |archive-date=25 May 2022 |access-date=25 May 2022 |publisher=Mid Devon District Council}}
On 20 May, the Liberal Democrats announced that their candidate would be university worker Richard Foord, a retired Army major.{{Cite news |last=Diver |first=Tony |date=20 May 2022 |title=Lib Dems 'planting our tanks on the Tories' lawn' by selecting ex-Army Major for 'blue wall' seat |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2022/05/20/lib-dems-planting-tanks-tories-lawn-selecting-ex-army-major/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20220520072713/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2022/05/20/lib-dems-planting-tanks-tories-lawn-selecting-ex-army-major/ |archive-date=20 May 2022 |access-date=20 May 2022 |work=The Telegraph}}{{Cite web |title=Meet Richard |url=https://www.richardfoord.org.uk/meet-richard |access-date=20 May 2022 |website=Richard Foord |archive-date=20 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220520024626/https://www.richardfoord.org.uk/meet-richard |url-status=live }}
The Conservative Party produced an all-female shortlist for the seat,{{cite news |last1=Malnick |first1=Edward |last2=Penna |first2=Dominic |title=All-female Tory shortlist for Tiverton and Honiton by-election after porn scandal |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2022/05/21/all-female-tory-shortlist-tiverton-honiton-by-election-porn/ |access-date=22 May 2022 |work=The Telegraph |date=21 May 2022 |archive-date=21 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220521225140/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2022/05/21/all-female-tory-shortlist-tiverton-honiton-by-election-porn/ |url-status=live }} and selected Helen Hurford, the Deputy Mayor of Honiton, as their candidate on 22 May.{{Cite news |date=23 May 2022 |title=Tiverton and Honiton by-election: Former head teacher in for Conservatives |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-devon-61548066 |access-date=23 May 2022 |archive-date=23 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220523074201/https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-devon-61548066 |url-status=live }}
The Labour Party selected Liz Pole, a businesswoman and chair of the Constituency Labour Party, on 22 May. Pole previously stood for Labour in the same seat at the 2019 general election, coming second.{{Cite news |date=23 May 2022 |title=Tiverton and Honiton by-election: Businesswoman in for Labour |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-devon-61548505 |access-date=23 May 2022 |archive-date=23 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220523084835/https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-devon-61548505 |url-status=live }}
Initially, there were some suggestions that Claire Wright, an independent former County Councillor who came second in the neighbouring constituency of East Devon in the last three elections, would stand. However, she clarified on a statement on Twitter that she would not put her name forward, instead endorsing the Liberal Democrats.{{Cite web |last=Claire |first=Wright |date=2022-05-01 |title=Thank you so much to everyone who has urged me to run in the Tiverton and Honiton by-election... |url=https://twitter.com/clairewrightind/status/1520742377119436802 |access-date=2022-05-03 |website=Twitter |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=says |first=Christine Marshall |date=2022-05-01 |title=VIDEO: "Lib Dems can be the main challengers in Tiverton and Honiton by-election" - Ed Davey |url=https://www.markpack.org.uk/169232/lib-dems-challengers-tiverton-and-honiton/ |access-date=2022-05-03 |website=Mark Pack |language=en-GB}}
Results
File:2022 Tiverton and Honiton by-election.svg
This result was the sixth-largest swing against the governing party since 1945; in addition, the Conservative Party's 24,239-vote majority from the 2019 general election is the largest ever overturned in a by-election.{{cite news |title=Tiverton & Honiton and Wakefield by-elections: how the results compare |url=https://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/national/20232649.tiverton-honiton-wakefield-by-elections-results-compare/ |access-date=24 June 2022 |work=Bournemouth Echo |agency=PA News |language=en}}{{cite news |last1=Gutteridge |first1=Nick |last2=Bolton |first2=Will |title=Wakefield and Tiverton results: Tories lose both seats with worst by-election defeat in history |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2022/06/24/byelection-2022-results-wakefield-tiverton-tories-lose/ |access-date=24 June 2022 |work=The Telegraph |date=24 June 2022}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link
|party = Liberal Democrats (UK)
|candidate = Richard Foord
|votes = 22,537
|percentage = 52.9
|change = +38.1
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link
|party = Conservative Party (UK)
|candidate = Helen Hurford
|votes = 16,393
|percentage = 38.5
|change = −21.7
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link
|party = Labour Party (UK)
|candidate = Liz Pole
|votes = 1,562
|percentage = 3.7
|change = −15.8
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link
|party = Green Party of England and Wales
|candidate = Gill Westcott
|votes = 1,064
|percentage = 2.5
|change = −1.3
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link
|party = Reform UK
|candidate = Andy Foan
|votes = 481
|percentage = 1.1
|change = New
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link
|party = UK Independence Party
|candidate = Ben Walker
|votes = 241
|percentage = 0.6
|change = −1.0
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link
|party = Heritage Party (UK)
|candidate = Jordan Donoghue-Morgan
|votes = 167
|percentage = 0.4
|change = New
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link
|party = For Britain Movement
|candidate = Frankie Rufolo
|votes = 146
|percentage = 0.3
|change = New
}}
{{Election box majority
|votes = 6,144
|percentage = 14.4
|change = N/A
}}
{{Election box turnout
|votes = 42,593
|percentage = 52.3
|change = −19.6
}}
{{Election box gain with party link
|winner = Liberal Democrats (UK)
|loser = Conservative Party (UK)
|swing = +29.9
}}
{{Election box end}}
{{notelist}}
Previous result
{{Election box begin|
|title=General election 2019: Tiverton and Honiton{{Cite web|url = https://electionresults.parliament.uk/election/2019-12-12/Results/Location/Constituency/Tiverton%20and%20Honiton/|title = 2019 general election results: Tiverton and Honiton|website = Parliament of the United Kingdom|accessdate = 30 April 2022|archive-date = 30 April 2022|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20220430145743/https://electionresults.parliament.uk/election/2019-12-12/Results/Location/Constituency/Tiverton%20and%20Honiton/|url-status = live}}
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link|party=Conservative Party (UK)|candidate=Neil Parish|votes=35,893|percentage=60.2|change=−1.2}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|party=Labour Party (UK)|candidate=Liz Pole|votes=11,654|percentage=19.5|change=−7.6}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|party=Liberal Democrats (UK)|candidate=John Timperley|votes=8,807|percentage=14.8|change=+6.8}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|party=Green Party of England and Wales|candidate=Colin Reed|votes=2,291|percentage=3.8|change=+0.3}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|party=UK Independence Party|candidate=Margaret Dennis|votes=968|percentage=1.6|change=New}}
{{Election box majority|votes=24,239|percentage=40.7|change=+6.4}}
{{Election box turnout|votes=59,613|percentage=71.9|change=+0.4}}
{{Election box hold with party link|
|winner = Conservative Party (UK)
|swing =+3.3}}
{{Election box end}}
Reactions
Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey said that the key factor in Foord's victory was "not just Partygate and the constant lies and law-breaking. It's the general sense of neglect and being taken for granted by [Boris] Johnson's Conservatives."{{Cite news |title=This Lib Dem win is a message to Tory cowards propping up Johnson – get rid of him or we will |last=Davey |first=Ed |newspaper=The Guardian |date=24 June 2022 |url= https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/jun/24/boris-johnson-lib-dem-tories-ed-davey}}
Political scientist Sir John Curtice partly attributed the large swing to the Liberal Democrats to tactical voting by Labour voters wishing to avoid a Conservative MP.{{Cite news |last=Cecil |first=Nicholas |date=24 June 2022 |title=Sir John Curtice: Tories in trouble but Keir Starmer still missing crucial spark |work=Evening Standard |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/sir-john-curtice-analysis-by-election-results-wakefield-tiverton-honiton-keir-starmer-labour-boris-johnson-b1008172.html |url-status=live |access-date=24 June 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220624122332/https://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/sir-john-curtice-analysis-by-election-results-wakefield-tiverton-honiton-keir-starmer-labour-boris-johnson-b1008172.html |archive-date=24 June 2022}} Secretary of State for Education Nadhim Zahawi said that the new schools programme was an important reason in the by-election.{{Citation |title=Nadhim Zahawi MP by-election reation |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ye2Dy5bT3lI |publisher=Stratford-upon-Avon Herald |language=en |access-date=2022-06-25}}
Conservative candidate Helen Hurford was ridiculed in the press for locking herself in a storage room upon her arrival at the counting venue, and refusing to speak to journalists.{{Cite news |title=Defeated Tory 'hides' from media after election defeat |last1=Smith |first1=Colleen |last2=Clarke |first2=Lewis |newspaper=DevonLive |date=24 June 2022|url= https://www.devonlive.com/news/devon-news/tiverton-honiton-election-tory-candidate-7248805}}
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
{{By-elections to the 58th UK Parliament}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tiverton and Honiton by-election}}
Category:2022 elections in the United Kingdom
Category:By-elections to the Parliament of the United Kingdom in Devon constituencies