Politics latest news: Boris Johnson rejects 'bizarre' claim he is neglecting southern voters in wake of by-election defeat
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Tom Harris: Keir Starmer, not Boris Johnson, should be worried by Chesham and Amersham
Ben Riley-Smith: Boris Johnson may be paying price for Red Wall focus
Lord Frost fires warning shot at Boris Johnson's spending blitz
Coronavirus latest news: Delta-Indian variant cases rise nearly 80pc in a week in UK
Boris Johnson has rejected the "bizarre" suggesting that he is neglecting southern voters, following the Conservatives' historic defeat in Chesham and Amersham overnight.
Lib Dem Sarah Green overturned a 16,00 majority to become the country's newest MP, in a move that party leader Sir Ed Davey said was "sending a shockwave through British politics".
Tory MPs claimed the upset had been provoked by Mr Johnson's focus on Red Wall seats at the expense of those in the South.
"Boris goes down like a bucket of cold sick with traditional One Nation Tories", one former minister told The Telegraph. "The party is only speaking to white working class voters in the Red Wall and turning off our own voters. This was entirely predictable".
Another added: "The Government's subliminal anti-South, anti-London [position] need to change... London needs levelling up as well."
A third added: "This has huge implications for Tory seats south of the Severn/Humber. Planning reforms are clearly going to have to have a rethink."
But the Prime Minister stressed that "particular circumstances" had been to blame and insisted that levelling up was an "agenda for the whole country".
It was a "bit bizarre" to suggest he had an anti-South bias, the former London Mayor added. "I won London twice... and just last month we had gains in Basildon and Maidstone and Basingstoke - all over the place."
Follow the latest updates below.
12:44 PM
Watch: Sir Ed Davey smashes 'blue wall' as he heralds Chesham victory
Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey smashed a blue wall made of plastic bricks with an orange hammer, as he told supporters: "This election sends a message to the whole country".
The Chesham and Amersham result was "sending a shockwave through British politics," he added.
"This is a great result, a huge swing to us. There are many Conservatives across the country who are now worried."
"People have been talking about a red wall, well after Chesham and Amersham and Sarah Green's victory they'll be talking about a blue wall," he added.
Watch below.
12:38 PM
England's R-rate remains stable
England's R-rate has remained between 1.2 and 1.4 this week, official estimates show.
The figure - which is on a lag of a couple of weeks - had been expected to rise slightly means that, on average, every 10 people infected will infect between 12 and 14 other people.
The growth rate has also stayed stable, meaning the number of new infections is growing by between three and six per cent every day.
The South West and North West have the highest rates, of up to 1.5, while the East of England and the North East have the lowest rates, of up to 1.3.
12:34 PM
Taoiseach calls for 'calm heads' amid Northern Ireland turbulence
Irish Taoiseach Micheal Martin has called for "calm heads" to prevail in Northern Ireland amid a "very turbulent" 24 hours.
DUP leader Edwin Poots resigned last night, just 20 days after replacing Arlene Foster , after he nominated one of his former advisers as the new head of the Stormont executive against the wishes of his party.
Thursday night’s chaos now threatens to unleash further instability, with several DUP insiders speculating that the power-sharing agreement could still collapse again in the coming days.
Speaking in Dublin on Friday, Mr Martin said: "I think it is very important that we all work collectively on the island towards maintaining stability and calm heads and staying focused on what is important to the people within Northern Ireland.... like the health services, Covid-19 and indeed the broader economic issues.
Stressing the need to safeguard the Good Friday Agreement, he added: "We will work constructively with the new leader. It's been a very difficult time for the outgoing leader Edwin Poots but I think it's important that we maintain relationships."
12:23 PM
Boris Johnson dodges questions about international VIPs for Euros
Boris Johnson has declined to confirm whether he will be allowing thousands of fans into the country for the Euro 2020 semi-finals and final next month.
Wembley Stadium in London is hosting several international matches in June and July, including the final on July 11, but Uefa has reportedly threatened to pull the game if VIPs are not allowed to leapfrog travel restrictions.
Tory Andrew Bridgen has branded the move "a kick in the teeth" given the country will still be under restrictions and "when double vaccinated Brits can't go on holiday".
When asked about this at Kirklees College in Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, Mr Johnson said: "We'll do what we have to do to keep the country safe from Covid - that's obviously going to be our priority, and we'll be talking to Uefa about what they want and see if we can make some sensible accommodations.
"But the priority obviously has to be public health."
12:12 PM
Boris Johnson 'very confident' that July 19 will see end of lockdown
Boris Johnson has said he is "very confident" that the remaining coronavirus restrictions in England will be lifted on July 19.
Speaking at Kirklees College in Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, Mr Johnson said: "I'm very confident that we'll be able to go through with step four of the road map on the timetable that I've set out with treating July 19, as I've said, as a terminus date.
"I think that's certainly what the data continues to indicate."
12:08 PM
Wales pauses roadmap for four weeks
The Welsh Government will pause further easing of coronavirus restrictions for four weeks to allow for more people to be vaccinated, First Minister Mark Drakeford has said.
Mr Drakeford said this would help Wales, which has the lowest Covid-19 rates in the UK, "manage the impact of this new wave of infections".
"A four-week delay could help to reduce the peak number of daily hospital admissions by up to half," Mr Drakeford said.
"This is at a time when the NHS is very busy in Wales supporting all our healthcare needs, not just treating coronavirus."
Mr Drakeford said he was looking to "find ways for the future which mean that face coverings do not have to be worn in every classroom, every day".
11:57 AM
Lifelong Tories reveal why they left party behind for Lib Dems
It used to be said that if you put a donkey on the ballot paper in Chesham and Amersham and stuck a blue rosette on its hind quarters it would still win.
Not any more. For the first time since the formation of the constituency in 1974 the Conservatives lost their grip on the seat.
In a result sending shockwaves through Westminster the Liberal Democrats overturned the Tories’ 16,000 majority to win by 8,028 votes in the two previously true blue Chiltern towns.
And it didn’t take long to establish the reason for this political earthquake.
It was HS2 wot lost it.
11:47 AM
Boris Johnson backs 'Hopeless' Matt Hancock over Dominic Cummings
Boris Johnson has backed Health Secretary Matt Hancock despite criticising him as "hopeless" in messages revealed earlier this week by Dominic Cummings.
Speaking in Kirklees, West Yorkshire, Mr Johnson said: "I have complete confidence in Matt and indeed all of the Government who have been dealing with Covid-19 during the pandemic."
His response was more emphatic than Mr Hancock's own defence from a couple of days ago - watch below.
11:45 AM
Boris Johnson admits Chesham and Amersham result was 'disappointing'
Boris Johnson described the Chesham and Amersham by-election result as "disappointing", adding: "We are getting on with delivering our agenda for the whole country."
"I want to thank Peter Fleet - an outstanding local candidate," the Prime Minister told reporters.
11:37 AM
Boris Johnson rejects 'bizarre' suggestion he is neglecting Southern voters
Boris Johnson has insisted he is not neglecting voters in the South, amid widespread criticism that he has turned his back on traditional voters to woo those in the Red Wall.
The Prime Minister said there were "particular circumstances" which had led to the upset in Chesham and Amersham, noting that there had been some "wilful misunderstanding" of his planning reforms.
He insisted levelling up was an "agenda for the whole country", adding: "That is what One Nation Cconservatism is about - uniting and levelling up across the country."
Mr Johnson stressed it was a "bit bizarre" to suggest he had an anti-South bias, noting: "I won London twice... and just last month we had gains in Basildon and Maidstone"
11:30 AM
Lobby latest: Boris Johnson not a gaffe machine, says No 10
Downing Street said it did not accept Dominic Cummings's description Boris Johnson as a "gaffe machine" (see 11:55am).
Asked about the way Mr Cummings had characterised his former boss, a spokesman for the Prime Minister told a Westminster briefing: "Of course that is not a characterisation that we would accept.
"But I'm not going to get into specific allegations."
11:23 AM
Boris Johnson urged to make planning U-turn or risk electoral 'suicide'
"The problem with political suicides is you live to regret them," one Conservative MP tells Christopher Hope in the wake of the Tories' disastrous defeat in the Chesham and Amersham by-election.
Tory MPs are clear about the prime cause of the disaster: Boris Johnson's plans to overhaul the planning system in England and fierce local opposition to the HS2 rail link.
HS2 electoral defeats in Tory seats that snake along the HS2 route along the M40 corridor are now being priced in by Conservative strategists among communities divided in two by a new rail line which offers them little benefit as trains whizz past between London and the Midlands.
But of deeper concern are Mr Johnson's reforms to the planning system which critics say allow "developers to build the wrong buildings in the wrong places.
"That is a theme that is running through a lot of constituencies right now - particularly in the south and in London."
11:08 AM
Have your say: How significant is the Chesham and Amersham by-election?
Ministers are trying to play it down. The Liberal Democrats are trying to play it up. Labour appear to have gone off the grid in hope no one will notice they were even taking part.
But just how significant is the Chesham and Amersham by-election?
Undoubtedly there were local issues at stake, with long held hated of HS2 clashing with residual Brexit scepticism.
But many Tory backbenchers are angrily pointing to the fact that this by-election result presages more pain to come in the Southern Blue Wall.
Who is right? Have your say in the poll below.
10:55 AM
Boris Johnson 'a gaffe machine', says Dominic Cummings
Dominic Cummings has been responding to the Chesham and Amersham by-election with a characteristically lengthy series of tweets bemoaning the fact that "pundits" did not see the by-election upset coming.
Alongside his criticism of lobby journalists, Boris Johnson's former right hand man also lays into the Prime Minister, who he calls a "gaffe machine clueless about policy & government".
This is apparently the reason why Mr Johnson was not put up for an interview with Andrew Neill during the 2019 election.
10:42 AM
The biggest by-election swings in recent years and what they meant
The Conservative Party's loss to the Liberal Democrats in Chesham and Amersham is their largest defeat at a by-election since its 2014 losses in UKIP-voting constituencies.
A fierce campaign centred on the Tories’ planning reforms and the construction of the HS2 rail line saw voters swing to Sir Ed Davey’s party by 25 points on Thursday, giving the Liberal Democrats 56.7 per cent of the vote.
The party is claiming to have punched a hole in the Blue Wall - a band of southern Tory-voting constituencies with large majorities. Sir Ed said the win had "sent a shockwave through British politics".
The result is one of the biggest swings in recent memory - but the UK has a history of producing dramatic results at by-elections.
10:33 AM
Analysis: PM may be paying price for Red Wall focus
That sound you hear this morning after the stunning Liberal Democrat victory in Chesham and Amersham is Boris Johnson’s new Conservative coalition bursting at the seams, writes Ben Riley-Smith.
The Prime Minister’s much-hailed success in expanding the Tories’ appeal into working class communities in the North East and Midlands was critical to winning his vast majority in 2019.
But the counter-argument was always this: that in taking the Red Wall seats off Labour, the party’s brand was now so stretched that at some point it would be untenable.
In Chesham, the critics have the first real proof of exactly that.
Read the rest of Ben's analysis here.
10:21 AM
Former frontrunner Howard Beckett withdraws from Unite race
Howard Beckett has withdrawn from the Unite general secretary election and will support Steve Turner, he announced.
Although at one point the frontrunner to replace Len McClusky, he derailed his own campaign after suggesting Priti Patel "should be deported", after which he was suspended from the Labour party.
He also lost a £1.3 million legal battle in a libel case against former Redcar MP Anna Turley.
10:13 AM
Camilla Tominey: Why these middle class libertarians voted Lib Dem
Before Sir Ed Davey starts measuring for new curtains at No 10, it is worth considering the local issues at stake in Chesham and Amersham, writes Camilla Tominey.
HS2 is basically a swear word in that part of leafy Buckinghamshire and residents have become much more opposed during the pandemic, when the shift to home working has made the multi-billion pound rail project seem like even more of a white elephant.
Another major factor has been the Government’s plan to build all over the constituency simply because it happens to be at the end of the Metropolitan line. People move there to escape the urbanisation of London, not to see it replicated on their doorstep.
Brexit has also played a part. Chesham and Amersham voted 55 per cent in favour of Remain, so the Lib Dems are natural bedfellows. Boris Johnson, who isn’t universally popular in this part of the Home Counties, should take note.
With the Labour vote having collapsed, it is only to be expected that these middle class libertarians will vote yellow – especially when the Prime Minister has spent the last 15 months eroding their civil rights.
10:06 AM
How the Lib Dems targeted planning to win Chesham and Amersham
09:51 AM
How loyal will Red Wall voters be in the long term?
One problem posed by the Chesham and Amersham by-election result is - to what extent are the Tories going to become reliant on Red Wall seats?
If this is, as some backbenchers fear, the thin end of the wedge, that leaves the party open to a longer-term problem of loyalty.
Many voters are tribal, and are likely to vote the same way election after election. So a strategy built on the backs of winning in the Red Wall does not have the strong foundations that can withstand political storms should they come.
"We appeal to white working class Labour and Ukip voters, not true-blue shire voters," says one senior Tory. "How loyal will they be in the long term...?
09:41 AM
Chesham and Amersham voters think Boris Johnson is a 'charlatan', says Dominic Grieve
Voters in Chesham and Amersham turned against the Conservative Party because they believe Boris Johnson is a "charlatan", Dominic Grieve has said.
The former attorney general, who lost the whip during the height of the Brexit wars in 2019, told the BBC the by-election result was not just "because of HS2 or greenbelt issues, though doubtless they played a part".
It was because the seat has "a pretty sophisticated electorate who know what a fraudulent prospectus is... they have a very low opinion of the Prime Minister and they consider him to be a charlatan."
That was a "widespread view among a certain section of the electorate that has consistently voted Conservative all their lives, and it is the fundamental problem the Conservative party has got", he added.
09:33 AM
FT's chief political correspondent literally eats his hat
The FT's chief political correspondent Jim Pickard has literally eaten (some of) his hat, after boldly proclaiming that he would do so if the Liberal Democrats won in Chesham and Amersham.
He gives the hat just one of 10 for flavour, but adds: "I like to think I have kept my word".
09:26 AM
Sir Ed Davey smashes actual blue wall
Sir Ed Davey has smashed through a wall of blue bricks to demonstrate the implication of Liberal Democrats' by-election win in Chesham and Amersham overnight.
The party leader took a mallet to the wall, before saying: "The geography of British politics was redrawn yesterday".
That seems like an overstatement at this stage - but it's fair to say that it has got Tory MPs nervous about what is around the corner if the party doesn't attempt to reconnect with some of its more traditional supporters.
09:23 AM
Tory MPs are worried about Chesham win, claims Sir Ed Davey
The Liberal Democrats' win in Chesham and Amersham is "sending a shockwave through British politics", Sir Ed Davey has said, noting there are several Tory MPs "who are now worried".
Speaking at a victory press conference, the leader thanked campaigners for their work, and said voters were "sending a message to the whole country".
There has been lots of discuss about the Red Wall, he adds. Now that conversation will turn to the Blue Wall.
09:12 AM
Tom Harris: Keir Starmer, not Boris Johnson, should be worried by Chesham
The remarkable result in Chesham and Amersham is undoubtedly causing many a Conservative strategist to have a fitful sleep, writes Tom Harris.
But the other noteworthy aspect of Chesham and Amersham is the impact on Labour. Yes, its vote plunged in the by-election, which is hardly surprising given that the Lib Dems were allowed to portray themselves as the main challenger to the incumbent party. This isn’t the first time that has happened and it won’t be the last.
No, the significance for, and threat to Labour raised by Chesham and Amersham is that in less than two weeks voters in Batley and Spen will go to the polls to elect a new MP.
If the Lib Dems can win in "safe" Tory seats, then the prospect of Labour not even being able to hold on to one of its own secure seats is truly ominous for Keir Starmer.
08:59 AM
Number crunching the Chesham and Amersham by-election
Just how massive an upset was the Chesham and Amersham by-election?
The Buckinghamshire seat has been Tory since it was created in 1974.
The contest was triggered by the death of former Cabinet minister Dame Cheryl Gillan, who took the seat with a majority of 16,233 in the 2019 general election - some 55 per cent of the vote.
But last night Sarah Green took 56.7 per cent of the vote to secure a majority of 8,028 over the second-placed Tories.
08:45 AM
Pressure builds on Robert 'Generic' Jenrick over planning reforms
It's not just Boris Johnson who is coming in for a kicking today, in the wake of the Chesham and Amersham by-election.
Robert Jenrick, the Housing and Communities Secretary, is also under fire for his role in pushing the planning reforms, which many blame the result on.
Although Christopher Pincher is the minister directly responsible - and the one who has been fielding much of the complaints from angry Tories (including last year's successful push to scrap the hated algorithm), backbenchers are now pushing for the PM to sack "Generic", as so many colleagues disdainfully call him.
08:34 AM
Chopper's Politics: Ireland will follow the UK, says Brexiteer peer Kate Hoey
Ireland will follow Britain out of the European Union, a senior Brexiteer peer has claimed saying it was the "logical thing to happen".
Baroness Hoey - who as Kate Hoey was one of the few Eurosceptic Labour MPs before she quit the Commons at the 2019 general election - forecast that Ireland will leave the EU "in the relatively short term".
Speaking to today's Chopper's Politics podcast, Lady Hoey said: "While sort of 15 years ago everyone said we could never leave the EU, I believe that in the relatively short term, the Republic of Ireland will probably decide to leave.
"There's a big debate starting there. And I think that is the logical thing to happen, that the Republic of Ireland leaves the European Union, now they're a contributor."
08:12 AM
Have your say: Did you vote in Chesham and Amersham?
Did you vote Liberal Democrat in the Chesham and Amersham by-election after previously voting Conservative? We want to hear from you if so.
Please fill out the form below to help us understand exactly what is going on in the Buckinghamshire seat.
08:09 AM
Little loyalty: Knives are sharpened for Boris Johnson
While Tory MPs recognise that Chesham and Amersham is only a by-election, the knives are being sharpened already.
Boris Johnson is coming in for particular criticism (see 8:16am, 8:22am and 8:41am for more). with MPs noting that he has little support among both backbenchers and his own Cabinet.
"They support him while he helps them to win. It is a very flimsy structure and easy to knock down," notes one former minister.
He is not at risk, yet, the MP adds. "But he doesn't have the credit in the bank that Thatcher had. The new intake is still v v loyal, but little loyalty elsewhere."
08:02 AM
Chesham and Amersham defeat sends 'complicated message', minister insists
Policing minister Kit Malthouse has insisted there was a "complicated message" after the humiliating defeat for the Conservatives in the Chesham and Amersham by-election.
The Tory MP told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "We will have to tease out what the issues are and not least because don't forget just a few weeks previously we had some fantastic results in local government across that area.
"I'm an MP not very far away and we had a broadly clean sweep in county and borough elections in my part of the world, so I think there's a complicated message there."
He also claimed that the Liberal Democrats had a different message "nationally to the local one" on HS2.
07:48 AM
Watch: Defeated Tory candidate promises to 'rebuild trust' in Chesham
Peter Fleet, the defeated Conservative candidate for Chesham and Amersham, has said the party must "start to rebuild that trust and understanding" among constituents.
"That work actually starts in the morning."
But he warned that Liberal Democrat winner Sarah Green now had to make good on her election pledges, noting she had "promised so much" to voters.
Watch below.
07:41 AM
Chesham and Amersham could prompt July reshuffle
The Chesham and Amersham upset could bring forward a reshuffle, Tory MPs believe, as Boris Johnson looks to reset his grip on the party - and his appeal to traditional voters.
The long-rumoured reshuffle has been kicked into the long grass month after month, with the Prime Minister thought to be dodging the difficult decisions that are likely to make him new enemies.
"Despite the popularity in the Red Wall, the PM is not very popular with his own MPs - new intake excepted - and he is right to be worried about having more disgruntled ex-ministers on the backbenches," one explains. "He is PM because of plotting and disloyalty after all."
But with the historic defeat in a Tory stronghold - and the lingering issues with ministers such as George Eustice, Gavin Williamson and Matt Hancock - the word in Westminster is that it could now take place as early as July.
07:30 AM
Chesham and Amersham voters freed up because 'there is no danger of Corbyn'
The argument that Jeremy Corbyn's departure has emboldened centrist Conservative voters to test alternatives appears to be holding some weight (see 7:55am).
"They were saying that on the doorsteps," says one Tory MP who helped campaign in Chesham and Amersham.
"There is no danger of getting brother Corbyn as PM, so this is a 'free' vote."
07:22 AM
Boris Johnson 'only speaking to white working class voters', says Tory MP
Chesham and Amersham was lost because "Boris goes down like a bucket of cold sick with traditional One Nation Tories", says a former Cabinet minister.
"Hope you're not having breakfast," the MP adds.
"The party is only speaking to white working class voters in the Red Wall and turning off our own voters. This was entirely predictable".
07:16 AM
Can Boris Johnson 'appeal anywhere other than the Red Wall', Tory MP wonders
The situation in Chesham and Amersham was "a car crash", one former minister has said.
"People who have voted Conservative all their lives saying they were going to use this as a chance to send Boris a message.
"Cabinet needs to think about planning reforms and how to make their s--- Brexit deal work, whether the PM is capable of appealing anywhere other than the Red Wall [and] how to stem the unrest in the South East."
07:12 AM
Chesham and Amersham hurt by Government's 'subliminal anti-South' message, says Tory MP
Tories might be claiming that the Lib Dems "flooded" Chesham and Amersham - but it's clear many of them also went to the Buckinghamshire seat in a desperate bid to stop it from turning yellow.
Their take on the situation on the ground is bleak: "There were two factors, the less important one is this was a protest," says one Tory MP. "Lots of anti-HS2 and planning reform.
"More important is the Government's subliminal anti-South, anti-London [messages, which] need to change... London needs levelling up as well."
07:05 AM
Policing minister insists 'there is no red or blue' wall
Kit Malthouse has insisted the Blue Wall is not at stake, saying "we are a One Nation party - there is no red or blue, we believe there is one nation".
The policing minister said Boris Johnson had policies that were attractive to voters in "Liverpool and Warrington and Darlington as well as Andover in my constituency".
But pressed about the planning reforms, he told Radio 4's Today programme that "we should be building beautiful houses [but] planning is something that should be done with them rather than to them".
07:00 AM
Vote breakdown: How Chesham and Amersham looks
06:58 AM
Government won't make office working compulsory, says Kit Malthouse
The policing minister has insisted the Government will not make it "compulsory" to return to the office, and that the question of working from home should be left to businesses and their staff to navigate.
Kit Malthouse confirmed there will be a consultation on more flexible working, but not until later this year.
"This is a situation for employers and employees to discuss and negotiate themselves," he told Sky News.
"I know there has been some media about this over the last two or three days, we don't have any intention to make it compulsory to return to the office.
"Our manifesto at the last election did contain a pledge to consult on more flexible working to allow people to work from home should they wish to, and we will be doing that later on this year."
06:55 AM
Chesham and Amersham: Is the 'Blue Wall crumbling' assessment fair?
The Liberal Democrats are heralding their victory in Chesham and Amersham as proof that "the Tory Blue Wall is beginning to crumble."
But is that a fair assessment?
It's certainly true that there are some nervous Tories this morning, with those in traditionally safe seats having seen their majorities erode in the 2019 election, which saw several centrist voters drop out rather than back Bexit and Boris Johnson.
The likes of Dominic Raab, whose majority in Esher and Walton was cut from 20,000 to just 2,743 after a similar assault from the Lib Dems, is likely to be among them.
Some will point to the fact that since 2019 Brexit has "got done", which removes a particularly contentious issue for some of those voters.
But the other big change is the departure of Jeremy Corbyn, which means the perceived risk of voting for Tory alternatives is also diminished.
06:47 AM
Minister attempts to brush off Chesham and Amersham upset
Policing minister Kit Malthouse branded the Chesham and Amersham by-election result "very disappointing" and said that there would have to be a "fairly significant post-match analysis" on what went wrong for the Tories.
"It's obviously very disappointing, can't pretend anything otherwise," he told Sky News.
"Really sad for our fantastic candidate Peter Fleet. I was there myself just a couple of days ago, knocking on doors for him.
"We'll obviously have to have a fairly significant post-match analysis and understand what has actually gone on.
"Traditionally, it's always tough for governments, whatever 11 years in, mid-term, to win a by-election, but there are lessons there for everybody and no doubt they will become clear in the days to come."
06:34 AM
Ed Davey: Leader hails 'best ever by-election victory' saying Tories could lose 'dozens' of seats
Sir Ed Davey said the historic win in Chesham and Amersham was the party's "best ever by-election victory" and that the Conservatives would lose "dozens" of seats in the South if this pattern was mimicked across the country.
The Lib Dem leader told BBC Breakfast: "I think this will send a shockwave through British politics.
"Liberal Democrats have had good wins in the past but this is our best ever by-election victory and it if was repeated across the South, literally dozens of Conservative seats would fall to the Liberal Democrats.
"People talked about the red wall in the North, but forgotten about the blue wall in the South, and that's going to come tumbling down if this result is mimicked across this country."
06:32 AM
What does the result mean for Labour?
It's not good news for Labour, who had finished second in the constituency in 2015 and 2017.
Here's a take from their MP Rupa Huq.
06:29 AM
Lib Dem a 'viable alternative' to voters, says MP
Alistair Carmichael, Lib Dem MP, suggested that his party can offer a 'viable alternative' to voters.
06:24 AM
Are Tories in danger in the south?
Sir Ed Davey told the BBC's Radio 4 Today programme that the Conservative party is in danger of losing seats in the south.
And Boris Johnson will be forced to confront some difficult political choices as he assesses the Tory drubbing in Chesham and Amersham.
The Liberal Democrats claim the result has sent a "shockwave through British politics" by showing that seats in the "Blue Wall" of Tory seats in southern England are vulnerable.
The warning signs were there in the local elections in May - although Conservative eyes may instead have been tempted to look north, where further inroads were being made into previously safe Labour territory.
The party lost councillors in places including Tunbridge Wells, Surrey and Oxfordshire, as well as the West of England mayoralty.
06:16 AM
Tobias Ellwood: 'We must finesse our post-Brexit messaging'
Here is the latest from the Conservative Bournemouth MP.
06:12 AM
How did the Tories lose their stronghold seat?
The scale of the defeat will ring alarm bells in Conservative Campaign Headquarters (CCHQ).
Major issues in the campaign included the HS2 rail line, which cuts through the constituency, and the Government's proposed planning reforms which have sparked fears about building in the countryside around the seat in the Chilterns.
06:12 AM
The historic by-election, in pictures
06:08 AM
The first time Chesham and Amersham has been anything other than blue
Since its inception in 1974, the seat in Buckinghamshire has been held by the Conservatives.
But in the early hours of the morning the tide changed.
For more detail on the historic smash-and-grab, click here.
06:05 AM
Tory source: 'By-elections are always difficult for governing party'
A Tory source said: "By-elections are always difficult for the governing party, particularly 11 years into government, but there is no getting away from the fact this is a very disappointing result.
"The work of regaining the support of the people of Chesham and Amersham starts now."
06:04 AM
Defeated Tory candidate says he looks forward to rebuilding trust
Defeated Tory candidate Peter Fleet said: "It's clear that that on this occasion the constituents here in Chesham and Amersham have chosen a different candidate to represent them, to serve as their Member of Parliament.
"I look forward to how we can start to rebuild that trust and understanding amongst all those people in Chesham and Amersham and as far as the Conservative Party is concerned that work actually starts in the morning."
06:03 AM
Ed Davey: 'Tory Blue Wall is beginning to crumble'
Liberal Democrats leader Ed Davey said his party secured a huge swing of 25 points to win Chesham and Amersham, claiming: "The Tory Blue Wall is beginning to crumble."
He said: "This is a huge victory for the Liberal Democrats. The people of Chesham and Amersham have sent a shockwave through British politics.
"We were told it was impossible for any party to beat the Tories here in Buckinghamshire. We were told this seat was too safe and the Tories too strong. This Liberal Democrat win has proved them utterly wrong.
"Across the south, the Tory Blue Wall is beginning to crumble. Here and in great swathes of the country, only the Liberal Democrats can beat the Conservatives and breach their Blue Wall.
"Sarah Green will be a great local champion for the people of Chesham and Amersham, and the Liberal Democrats will be a strong voice for everyone who feels let down and taken for granted by this dreadful Tory Government.
"This amazing win will strengthen our fight to safeguard our precious natural environment and build a fairer, greener, more caring country."
06:00 AM
Acceptance speech: 'This Conservative Party has taken people across our country for granted for far too long'
In her acceptance speech, new Liberal Democrat MP Sarah Green said: "Tonight the voice of Chesham and Amersham is unmistakable. Together we have said 'Enough is enough, we will be heard and this Government will listen'.
"This campaign has shown that no matter where you live, or how supposedly safe a constituency may appear to be, if you want a Liberal Democrat member of Parliament, you can have a Liberal Democrat Member of Parliament.
"If you wish to reject Conservative mismanagement and vote for a voice that will represent you and stand up for your rights then it is the Liberal Democrats who will continue to fight your corner."
She added: "This Conservative Party has taken people across our country for granted for far too long.
"We will continue the work of holding this Government to account for letting Covid rip through the care homes. We will speak up for the three million people excluded from financial support throughout the pandemic and we will challenge Boris Johnson to be far more ambitious in tackling climate change, supporting our frontline workers and backing our small businesses."
05:59 AM
'Work starts now to show Conservatives can deliver on people's priorities and regain support'
Co-chairman of the Conservatives Amanda Milling, Cannock Chase MP, tweeted: "For decades Cheryl stood proud for the people of Chesham and Amersham. I'm deeply disappointed David Fleet can't carry on that legacy The people of C&A have spoken.
"Work starts now to show how it's Conservatives that can deliver on the people's priorities and regain their support."
05:58 AM
'This is huge', declares Lib Dem MP
Orkney and Shetland Liberal Democrat MP Alistair Carmichael tweeted: "A fantastic result tonight for our new MP Sarah Green - a testament to her dedication and that of the many Lib Dem volunteers and staff who met Chesham and Amersham voters and gave them a voice after they felt left behind by Boris Johnson's Conservatives. This is huge."
05:57 AM
Chesham and Amersham results
The result came in at just before 2am on Friday.
Here is the breakdown.
Sarah Green (LD) 21,517 (56.69%)
David Fleet (C) 13,489 (35.54%)
Carolyne Culver (Green) 1,480 (3.90%)
Natasa Pantelic (Lab) 622 (1.64%)
Alex Wilson (Reform) 414 (1.09%)
Carla Gregory (Breakthrough) 197 (0.52%)
Adrian Oliver (FA) 134 (0.35%)
Brendan Donnelly (Rejoin) 101 (0.27)
LD maj 8,028 (21.15%)
Electorate 72,828; Turnout 37,954 (52.11%)
