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By-elections for two parliamentary seats vacated by Tory MPs have formally been triggered.
The votes in Wakefield as well as Tiverton and Honiton were confirmed after a writ was formally moved in the House of Commons.
They must take place between 21 and 27 working days from the issuing of the writ. It has been reported that both will take place on 23 June, which falls within this period.
It represents a fresh electoral challenge for the prime minister amid the cost of living crisis and a Met Police investigation into Downing Street parties – after the Tories lost nearly 500 council seats at local elections earlier this month.
Labour will also be hoping it can make progress after its success in former Tory strongholds in London and the south during those elections – which, however, was not replicated in Midlands and parts of the North of England where it needs to recover after its 2019 general election defeat.
Wakefield’s former MP Imran Ahmad Khan resigned after being found guilty of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old boy.
The Tories had won the West Yorkshire constituency from Labour with a majority of more than 3,000 as the party took a swathe of so-called “Red Wall” seats in the north of England in 2019.
Labour’s preparation for the by-election contest has been disrupted by a “stitch-up” row – with the entire executive of the local party quitting in protest after three members vying to stand for the seat were left off the shortlist in favour of two others not from the constituency.
On Monday, party leader Sir Keir Starmer told MPs to prepare for a “tough” battle in Wakefield, according to a Labour source, adding that it would be an “enormous test”.
“They are going to throw the kitchen sink at it,” he said. “But it’s a chance for us to turn yet another seat red.”
The vacancy in Tiverton and Honiton arose after Neil Parish resigned as MP following his admission that he had watched pornography in the House of Commons.
Mr Parish admitted to looking at adult material twice in parliament, claiming the first time was accidental after looking at tractors and that the second was “a moment of madness”.
The 65-year-old farmer had represented the Devon constituency since 2010 and was returned with a majority over Labour of more than 24,000 at the 2019 general election.
Last week, Mr Parish told the Telegraph it was “an option” for him to consider running as an independent.
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