LONDON, Aug 2 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The Conservatives have lost a closely-fought Brecon and Radnorshire parliamentary by-election.
Lib Dem candidate Jane Dodds overturned an 8,038 majority to beat Chris Davies by 1,425 votes.
Davies stood again after being unseated by a petition that followed his conviction for a false expenses claim.
Labour were beaten into fourth place by The Brexit Party.
It was the first electoral test for new prime minister Boris Johnson.
It leaves the government’s working majority cut to just one.
Dodds, who is Welsh Lib Dem leader, said: “My very first act as your new MP when I get to Westminster will be to find Mr Boris Johnson, wherever he’s hiding, and tell him to stop playing with the future of our community and rule out a no deal Brexit”.
The turnout was 59.7%, down from 74.6% at the general election, but it is the highest for a by-election since Winchester in 1997.
Dodds, 55, lives in the neighbouring constituency of Montgomeryshire and is a child-protection social worker.
The Lib Dems regained the rural seat – which it had held for all but nine of the last 34 years and lost at the 2015 general election.
Recently-elected Lib Dem leader Jo Swinson said: “Boris Johnson’s shrinking majority makes it clear that he has no mandate to crash us out of the EU.” — NNN-AGENCIES
