It is a by-election that is being watched closely. We vote on Thursday December 16 at Oswestry, a town located in central England, on the edge of Wales. The Tory MP was forced to resign in November after corruption charges. It has been a stronghold of Boris Johnson’s party for decades, but the Liberal Democrats are now favorites. At a time when the Conservative Prime Minister is being pushed around by his own camp, this election is a test.
>> Covid-19: we explain the controversy over the Christmas holidays in Downing Street, which scandalizes the British and weakens Boris Johnson
The crockery seller repackages his merchandise without great care. In the market of Oswestry, the largest town in the riding, in the North Shropshire, we talk more about Christmas and the coronavirus than about the election. Andrew smiles in annoyance when he speaks of his vote. Most often he slipped a conservative ballot into the ballot box. But not this time. Because of Boris Johnson? “A little bit, yesAndrew answers. It is good for office parties, we have seen it these days. But as prime minister he is not very honest. “
“I don’t think there is better in the opposition. That’s what makes it difficult for us. Nobody stands out. We have to do the best of the worst if you know what I mean. “
Around 2020, around the same time, there were parties in Downing Street while here in Oswestry, we stayed at home, and families were deprived of a Christmas gathering. Today, the town center of the town of less than 20,000 inhabitants comes alive for the end of the year. Under the garlands of light bulbs and not far from a large lit tree, Francis does his shopping. He loves traditions. “I will vote for the conservative party, he says. With the crisis we are going through right now, I think they are doing a good job. It’s a shame that they let themselves go on one or two disciplinary things. I think Boris Johnson is a good guy. Sometimes he acts like an idiot but he’s still a nice guy. “
New this week is that the mistrust of the prime minister came from his own party. About a hundred conservative deputies voted against his plan for a health pass. But Boris Johnson can count on faithful like Leon: “I like Boris. He’s a little different, hard worker. He will never be able to satisfy everyone. No matter what he says, there is always someone to explain that he is wrong.”
“These party stories, it could have happened with any party, it’s not her fault.”
In the Conservative Party, we say we are confident for the day’s ballot but we recall the difficulty of winning partial legislative elections when we are in power. A parliamentarian said that the Thatcher government had won only three in ten years.
In the UK, a high-risk election for Boris Johnson: report from Richard Place
to listen