PM says lack of ‘focus on the issues’ led to by-election defeat

The prime minister Boris Johnson has said he takes “personal responsibility” for the Conservatives’ loss at yesterday’s by-election in North Shropshire, but said a lack of “focus on the issues” was behind the failure to connect with voters there.

The Conservatives 22,949 majority in North Shropshire has been overturned after Liberal Democrat Helen Morgan swept to victory with 17,957 votes.

Speaking during a visit to a vaccination centre in London this afternoon, Mr Johnson explained: “I’m responsible for everything that the Government does and of course I take personal responsibility.”

“I think that people are frustrated,” he told reporters.

He argued: “Basically what’s been going wrong… is that in the last few weeks some things have been going very well, but what the people have been hearing… is just a constant litany of stuff about politics and politicians and stuff that isn’t about them and isn’t about the things that we can do to make life better.

“And so to that extent, of course, you’re right – and I think the job of the Government is to make people like you… interested in the booster rollout and in skills, and in housing, and in everything else that we’re doing.

“And unfortunately, you’re totally right, we haven’t been able to get the focus on those issues.”