Speaking to BBC Breakfast, deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner says Labour "must keep its feet on the ground" after failing to take Uxbridge and South Ruislip from the Conservatives. She says her mood is "one of reflection" afterwards.

Rayner admits that the controversial Ulez scheme, championed by Labour London Mayor Sadiq Khan, had had been a major factor in the result.

She says "when you don't listen to the voters you don't win elections", and that this is something "for us to reflect on", and for all parties in future elections.

She also congratulates new Labour MP Keir Mather, saying his Selby victory was a "historic win". He becomes the youngest MP currently in the House of Commons at 25 years old.

Asked what advice she had for Mather, Rayner says he needs to stick to what constituents want and must let them know that Labour "can change people's lives for the better."

Here's the moment we heard from Steve Tuckwell: the man who helped the Conservatives retain Uxbridge and South Ruislip.

He spoke of local people's "absolute opposition" to Ulez - an issue discussed in our post below.

Image source, Reuters

The Conservatives put opposition to the expansion of London's Ultra Low Emission Zone (Ulez) at the heart of their campaign in Uxbridge and South Ruislip. And it seems to have worked. Labour also blames the expansion of Ulez for not winning Boris Johnson’s old seat, Uxbridge and South Ruislip.

This is the extension of a policy originated by London's former Conservative mayor Boris Johnson (who was also the local MP until earlier this year) in March 2015. And it had been extended before. But why is it controversial now?

Ulez is a scheme under which the most polluting vehicles are charged a fee for driving in certain areas of London.

The recent expansion of the scheme - which is due to come into force in August, under Labour's London Mayor Sadiq Khan - has faced widespread opposition, with critics saying:

• It didn’t give enough time to the people to swap their vehicles for compliant ones. The mayor of London announced his Ulez expansion plan at the end of November, giving people nine months' notice - a shorter window than when the previous expansion happened
• The cost of second-hand cars has also risen, making the purchase a compliant car even more difficult for the people struggling with the increasing cost of living
• According to data cited by Transport for London (TfL), external, the proposed London-wide Ulez is expected to reduce road transport NOx emissions by 5.4% (362 tonnes) in London. Conservatives have highlighted an independent assessment commissioned by TfL, external that says the Ulez expansion will result in a "minor" reduction in NO2 pollution exposure, of 1.3%
• Car ownership is also much higher in outer London - 69% of households own at least one car. It means people in outer London rely more on private vehicles

Results raise questions for Labour as well as Toriespublished at 06:54 British Summer Time 21 July 2023

06:54 BST 21 July 2023

Professor Sir John Curtice
Polling expert

What broader lessons, if any, can be discerned from such a contrasting set of results?

Both the Conservatives and Labour agree that a local issue - London mayor Sadiq Khan's proposed extension of London's Ulez low emission zone to the capital's outer boroughs - played an important role in helping shore up the Conservative vote in Uxbridge and South Ruislip.

Indeed, the newly elected Conservative MP himself suggested the issue was crucial - and did not give Rishi Sunak and his government any credit for his success.

Together with the heavy scale of the party's losses in Somerton (a fall of nearly 30%) and in Selby (a drop of 26 points), it would seem unwise for Tory MPs to draw any conclusion other than that their party is still in deep electoral trouble.

Meanwhile, as in previous by-elections over the last couple of years, voters registered their dissatisfaction with the Conservatives by switching to whichever opposition party appeared best able to defeat the local Conservative candidate.

In Uxbridge and in Selby, the already-low Liberal Democrat vote was badly squeezed, while in Somerton, Labour were pushed into fifth place. In a general election such a pattern of tactical voting could seriously accentuate the scale of Conservative losses.

Yet at the same time, Labour's failure to take Uxbridge will raise questions about the effectiveness of Sir Keir Starmer's electoral strategy. Characterised as it is by few promises and a focus on the centre ground, his critics may well argue that Labour's appeal proved too brittle when confronted by a difficult local issue.

• Read more from Sir John here

Image source, .

Here's a look at how people in each by-election seat voted compared to in the 2019 general election - resulting in big swings for Labour in Selby and Ainsty, and for the Liberal Democrats in Somerton and Frome.

Image source, PA Media

Keir Mather won the by-election in Selby and Ainsty, North Yorkshire, a few hours ago, for Labour, becoming the youngest MP at Westminster in the process at 25 years old.

Upon securing the majority of more than 4,000, he made a speech in which he said the "rules on where Labour can win" elections had been "re-written".

Mather, born in 1998, studied history and politics at the University of Oxford.

He's also a former parliamentary researcher for shadow health secretary Wes Streeting, who works as a senior public affairs advisor at the Confederation of British Industry (CBI).

Here's a chance to listen back to some analysis from polling expert Prof Sir John Curtice earlier.

Results paint bleak picture for Conservativespublished at 06:06 British Summer Time 21 July 2023

06:06 BST 21 July 2023

Nick Eardley
Chief political correspondent

Rishi Sunak has been spared becoming the first prime minister since 1968 to lose three by-elections in a day.

But this is still a bad set of results for his party.

They have just lost two sizeable majorities, with a historic shift to Labour in Selby and Ainsty and another massive swing to the Lib Dems in Somerton and Frome.

Both results paint a bleak picture for the Conservatives nationally. They show that Sunak has been unable to stop the party shedding seats at by-elections. They again illustrate he is struggling to change to electoral weather.

The blow is softened a bit by the surprise result in Boris Johnson’s old seat, Uxbridge and South Ruislip. Labour thought they would win here and they didn’t.

The Conservatives put opposition to the expansion of Ulez (the low emission zone that require Londoners pay a daily charge to use less eco-friendly cars) at the heart of their campaign. That worked - and raises questions for Labour about the future of the scheme in outer London.

The Uxbridge result means the picture this morning is a bit more complicated. But, essentially, it looks like this:

• The Lib Dems are cock-a-hoop and think they are back in business in the West Country
• Labour aren’t as happy as they could have been
• The Conservatives have been spared a rout, but still have a lot to be concerned about

Evidence of tactical voting in all three resultspublished at 05:31 British Summer Time 21 July 2023

05:31 BST 21 July 2023

Peter Barnes
BBC political analyst

Labour’s victory in Selby and Ainsty breaks the record for the largest majority they’ve ever overturned at a by-election, although the Lib Dems and others have overturned bigger majorities.

The 23.7% swing is also their second biggest on record in a by-election.

One interesting point about all three results is that there was evidence of tactical voting between Labour and Lib Dem supporters.

Labour’s vote share was down over 10% in Somerton and Frome, which helped the Lib Dems. But the Lib Dem vote share dropped by 5% in Uxbridge and South Ruislip and Selby and Ainsty.

Here's the full breakdown of the results from Selby and Ainsty, where Labour have overturned a Conservative majority of 20,137. This is the biggest majority Labour has ever overturned in a by-election.

The Conservatives remain in "electoral trouble" despite their unexpected victory in Uxbridge and South Ruislip, polling expert Sir John Curtice has said.

Speaking on the BBC's Politics Live, Curtice said the local issue of ULEZ had played a significant role in Uxbridge, and so the results in Selby and Frome - both of which the Conservatives have lost - would likely provide a better guide for the wider mood in the country.

“To that extent at least, although Uxbridge will provide Rishi Sunak with some immediate cover, maybe in the end the message from these by-elections is that the Conservatives are indeed in considerable electoral trouble along the lines that the polls are suggesting," Curtice said.

ULEZ, or Ultra Low Emission Zone, is a controversial scheme under which the most polluting vehicles are charged a fee for driving in certain areas of London.

Image source, PA Media

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has just released a statement, hailing the party's "historic" win in Selby and Ainsty.

He says it shows that "the people are looking at Labour and seeing a changed party, focused entirely on the priorities of working people".

Praising the new addition, Starmer adds: "Keir Mather will be a fantastic MP, who'll deliver the fresh start that Selby and Ainsty deserves."

He's yet to comment on his party's performance at Uxbridge and South Ruislip, which it lost to the Conservatives by less than 500 votes. There's more on that here.

Labour's new MP in the North Yorkshire constituency of Selby and Ainsty has said his by-election success has "re-written the rules" on where the party can win.

Speaking after the declaration of the result, Keir Mather said: “I want to begin my time as your MP by being very clear: I understand the enormity of what has just happened, I know what an honour this is, and I am humbled by this opportunity to serve.

“We have re-written the rules on where Labour can win. Thousands of the votes cast yesterday were in Labour’s box for the very first time. For those of you who have put your faith in our party: thank you.”

Image source, PA Media

We've just been told that Labour has won the Selby and Ainsty seat in North Yorkshire, by a majority of 4,161.

The final count was:

• 16,456 for Labour's Keir Mather
• 12,295 for Claire Holmes of the Conservative Party
• 1,188 for Matt Walker, of the Lib Dems

The final result means it's one a piece for the Lib Dems, Labour and the Tories after tonight's by-elections. Plus Labour has made history by overturning its biggest-ever majority of 20,137 at a by-election.

Mather also becomes the youngest MP at Westminster, at 25 years old.

Image source, PA Media

It's been a busy night so far, with two out of three by-election results now confirmed.

The Liberal Democrats won Somerton and Frome in Somerset by more than 10,000 votes, overturning the 19,000-vote majority the Conservatives had enjoyed.

But the Conservatives held on to former prime minister Boris Johnson's seat in Uxbridge and South Ruislip, London, by 495 votes, in a blow to Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer.

The result was announced following a recount of Conservative and Labour votes.

We're now just waiting for the results from Selby and Ainsty, North Yorkshire, where Labour are said to be feeling positive. If they do win the seat, it’ll be the largest majority (20,137) they’ve ever overturned in a by-election.

Plenty of coffee is being drunk here at New Broadcasting House - and at the count in North Yorkshire, we're sure. Stay with us as we continue to bring you the latest.

Image source, PA Media

The Liberal Democrats' "stunning victory" in Somerton and Frome shows the party is "firmly back" in its former West Country stronghold, leader Sir Ed Davey has said.

He said Sarah Dyke would fight for stronger local health services, better access to GPs and a fair deal for rural communities during this cost of living crisis.

"The people of Somerton and Frome have spoken for the rest of the country who are fed up with Rishi Sunak's out-of-touch Conservative government."

Shadow business secretary Jonathan Reynolds has insisted the ULEZ policy meant it was always going to be difficult for Labour to take Uxbridge and South Ruislip.

Boris Johnson's former west London constituency had long been a target seat for Labour.

Speaking to BBC Politics Live, Reynolds said: “You’ve got a situation where things are very tough for people right now – the mortgages they’re paying, the energy bills that they have got.

"And of course then when they are faced with a potential additional charge, that is going to be a difficult thing.”

ULEZ, or Ultra Low Emission Zone, is a scheme under which the most polluting vehicles are charged a fee for driving in certain areas of London. A recent expansion of the scheme, which is due to come into force in August, under Labour's London Mayor Sadiq Khan has faced widespread opposition.

Reynolds added that the scheme was a “specific issue to that particular part of the United Kingdom” and that, ahead of the next election, Labour would be focusing on the "national story".