U.K. Voters Hand Sunak’s Party Two Defeats and a Win in By-elections
New York TimesMAY 2023
The Spin
Left narrative
Despite holding onto Uxbridge and South Ruislip, Sunak has been left reeling following disastrous voting swings against the Tories in all three constituencies. While there will be disappointment in the Labour camp following the impact of Khan’s Ulez plans, there remain clear signals that the UK is simply fed up with the Conservative’s disastrous premiership.
Right narrative
Sunak must be breathing a sigh of relief following the retention of Uxbridge and South Ruislip. Although the victory cannot hide the pain of the bigger picture, London’s clear rejection of the Ulez extension planned by Sadiq Khan is an opportunity for the Tories to expose internal Labour division before the next general election.