UK's Johnson Conservatives hold parliamentary seat but majority cut

Prime Minister Boris Johnson's Conservative Party on Friday held onto a parliamentary seat in southeast London but with a much reduced margin of victory from two years ago amid low voter turnout.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson's Conservative Party on Friday held onto a parliamentary seat in southeast London but with a much reduced margin of victory from two years ago amid low voter turnout. The election for the Old Bexley and Sidcup constituency, which was triggered by the death of former minister James Brokenshire, was billed as the first test for the government after a series of sleaze scandals in recent weeks.

Conservative Louie French, a local councillor, took 11,189 votes, 51% of those cast, giving him a 4,478 majority over the opposition Labour Party candidate in second place, but down from almost 19,000 in 2019. Turnout, which is often much lower outside of national elections, was down to just 34%.

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