By-election win shows Boris Johnson's bubble is bursting

Kim Leadbeater walks along the canal path in Huddersfield after winning the Batley and Spen by-election and now representing the seat previously held by her sister Jo Cox, who was murdered in the constituency in 2016. Picture date: Friday July 2, 2021. - Credit: PA

Kim Leadbeater’s narrow victory in the Batley and Spen by-election could well be the turning of the tide for sleazebag Boris Johnson.

George Galloway’s attempt to use this election to get rid of Sir Keir Starmer has failed. His platform was based on this and sadly reduced the Labour majority. His attempt to challenge the result in court reveals more about him than about the legitimacy of the election.

The Liberal Democrat supporters should have voted Labour. Indeed their candidate should have given his support to Kim Leadbeater. Tactical voting is essential to win in such circumstances and it undoubtedly helped here.

Ian Dunt forecast in The New European that Boris Johnson’s bubble will burst. It began at Batley and Spen!

David Hogg, Bristol

Lord Mandelson is correct to tell Keir Starmer’s Labour Party detractors to back off after the Batley & Spen Election. By-elections are always difficult with multiple candidates of protest and a low turnout. But a win is a win.

Keir Starmer is facing the luckiest PM since Margaret Thatcher, and her recovery caused by the Falklands War. Covid is hiding the business and personal impacts of Brexit and the successful roll-out of the vaccines is making the electorate overlook all the other Covid mistakes.

But that luck is changing. Hospital cases are rising following the easing of restrictions and the EURO2020 stimulus. Further lockdown measures may be needed. In addition, there is not enough money in the Treasury to keep all his promises. Dealing with the elective backlog of the NHS and sort out Social Care and throw money at levelling-up without massive tax rises which Boris promised not to do. He will be penalised even more if and when he does.

Labour will win if they stick to the just left of centre political terrain.

Norman Harris, Croydon

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