Boris Johnson’s majority cut to one after by-election loss

Boris Johnson faces having to call a general election after losing a crucial by-election.

Jane Dodds celebrates with supporters as she wins the Brecon and Radnorshire by-election. Picture: AP.

Boris Johnson has failed his first major test as British PM, with his majority cut to just one after the Liberal Democrats narrowly won a crucial by-election.

After a tumultuous first week in office that saw him booed in Scotland and berated in Belfast, Mr Johnson now faces having to call a General Election. The loss leaves him with the support of 319 MPs including the DUP which props up his majority, while opposition parties have 318.

The lethally thin majority means a struggle to pass any legislation in the Commons and leaves his government vulnerable to an opposition no-confidence vote that could trigger an early general election.

Voters went to the polls for the Brecon and Radnorshire seat in Powys, Wales, after Conservative incumbent Chris Davies was ousted over an expenses fraud scandal.

Liberal Democrat Jane Dodds overturned Mr Davies’ 8.038 majority, winning 13,826 to Mr Davies’ 12,401 - a majority of 1,425 votes.

Results of Brecon and Radnorshire by-election Jane Dodds – Welsh Liberal Democrats wins with 13826 votes #BrecRadByElection #BreconandRadnorshire pic.twitter.com/4FilHE9vPq

— Powys County Council (@PowysCC) August 2, 2019

Labour was beaten into fourth place by the Brexit Party, with only 1680 votes,just over 5 per cent. The Brexit Party managed just 10.5 per cent of the vote.

In her victory speech, Ms Dodds, who is also 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... and tell him to stop playing with the future of our community and rule out a no-deal Brexit.”

Liberal Democrat leader Jo Swinson hailed the result, saying Ms Dodds’ victory showed “the country doesn’t have to settle for Boris Johnson or Jeremy Corbyn”.

The vote may also be seen as an early victory for the ‘Remain alliance’ of anti-Brexit parties, with Plaid Cymru and the Greens agreeing not to field candidates in order not to split the pro-EU vote.

In Britain’s 2016 referendum on leaving the European Union, the Brecon constituency - a hilly, largely rural area about 280km west of London - voted by 52%-48% to leave the EU, an outcome that exactly matched the national result.

Mr Johnson has just over 90 days to secure and ratify a new divorce deal with the EU, or get Britain ready to leave without one.