Brecon and Radnorshire by-election result: What it means for Boris Johnson’s Brexit plans

THE Brecon and Radnorshire by-election was won by the Lib Dems on August 1, 2019, with Jane Dodds taking the spot in the House of Commons.

But what does this mean for Boris Johnson‘s Brexit plans, and how did the area vote in the EU referendum? Here is everything you need to know.

What was the result of the Brecon and Radnorshire by-election?

A 12 per cent swing saw Jane Dodds romp to victory in the Welsh seat – shocking the Tories who now have a perilously weak grip on power.

The Lib Dem candidate secured 43.46 per cent of the vote in Brecon and Radnorshire – ahead of disgraced Tory MP Chris Davies on 38.98 per cent.

After topping the poll by 1,425 votes, Ms Dodds said: “The people of this constituency have chosen hope over fear. We demand better.”

And encapsulating the threat to Brexit her victory poses, Ms Dodds added that her first act as an MP will be to demand a “No Deal” exit is ruled out.

She said: “People are desperately crying out for a different kind of politics.

“There is no time for tribalism when our country is faced with a Boris Johnson government and the threat of a No Deal Brexit.

“So my very first act as your MP when I arrive in Westminster will be to find Mr Boris Johnson wherever he is hiding and tell him loud and clear: ‘Stop playing with the future of our communities and rule out a No Deal Brexit now’.”

With the DUP’s votes counted, the PM now has the support of 319 MPs – while opposition parties have 318.

It was also a humiliating defeat for Labour – who narrowly avoided losing their deposit.

Candidate Tom Davies limped behind in a dismal fourth place with just 5.3 per cent – beating only the Monster Raving Loony Party and Ukip.

Support for Jeremy Corbyn‘s party collapsed by 12.5 per cent – with Labour voters swarming to the Lib Dems and Brexit Party, who came third.

Ukip were pummelled into last place with just 242 votes – even losing out to the fifth-place Monster Raving Loony Party.

Turnout was at 59.7 per cent – the highest for a by-election in 22 years since Winchester in November 1997.

Who held the seat before?

The Leave-voting seat was held by the Conservatives since 2015 when they nicked it off the Lib Dems, who had it for 18 years before that.

But Chris Davies, 51, running for the seat again scuppered the Tory’s plans to hold on to it after a petition in the area booted him out.

How did Brecon vote in the UK Brexit referendum?

In the 2016 EU referendum, Brecon and Radnorshire voted to leave by a narrow margin of 51.86 per cent.

Why was the Brecon by-election important for Johnson’s Brexit plans?

The Tories losing this seat means their majority has been slashed down to just one.

This is a headache for him as he hopes to secure a Brexit deal and get it through the Commons in just a few weeks’ time.

If just one MP decides to abandon the party and join the Opposition, it could completely scupper his Brexit plans.

Boris is also heavily reliant on the 10 votes of their Northern Irish allies, the DUP, too.

Why was there a by-election?

The Tory candidate in the area, Davies, was chucked out of the job by his own constituents earlier this year after he was convicted of fiddling his expenses.

Twenty per cent of the electorate signed a petition saying he had to go, which forced the by-election to take place.

Despite this, the local Tories chose to let him stand again, which caused a huge headache in Westminster.