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# By-election defeats awful for Conservatives but not surprising, Lichfield MP says
- URL: https://lichfieldlive.co.uk/by-election-defeats-awful-for-conservatives-but-not-surprising-lichfield-mp-says/
- Published: 2022-06-24T06:19:17.000Z
- Updated: 2022-06-24T06:19:24.000Z
- Description: By-election losses suffered by the Conservatives were awful for the party but not surprising, Lichfield’s MP has said.
- Author: Lichfield Live
- Tags: Politics, #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2026-07-22 19:11, News

By-election losses suffered by the Conservatives were awful for the party but not surprising, Lichfield’s MP has said.

The Tories saw a huge majority overturned in Tiverton and Honiton as the Lib Dems took the seat, while Wakefield also fell to Labour.

Conservative MP Michael Fabricant said that while the results were not a blow, history showed that such results can quickly be forgotten.

> “The two by-election results are awful for the Conservatives but not surprising.  
>  
> “My constituency was lost in a by-election to Labour during a serious strike and Government unpopularity – but I won it back in a General Election two years later.  
>  
> “Economic turbulence, inflation and poor industrial relations were all a backdrop to these mid-term elections. Conservative voters stayed at home and turnout collapsed.  
>  
> “Neither Labour nor the Lib Dems should assume they will hold these seats, but first it is essential the Government must restore the economy to an even keel despite world pressures.”  
>  
> Michael Fabricant

The results have seen Conservative co-chair Oliver Dowden resign saying that “somebody must take responsibility” for the result.

While some commentators have likened the move to Geoffrey Howe’s speech in 1990 which is seen as a key moment in the downfall of Margaret Thatcher.

But Mr Fabricant said on social media that such comparisons were wide of the mark:

> “Oliver Dowden’s resignation is nothing like Howe’s speech in the Chamber with Thatcher being forced to listen from the front bench.”  
>  
> Michael Fabricant