North Shropshire by-election reaction: Johnson 4-5 to leave post in 2022

Boris Johnson is 4-5 to leave his job as prime minister in 2022 after the Conservatives suffered a crushing defeat in the North Shropshire by-election on Thursday.

The Tories had held the constituency for more than 200 years, but Liberal Democrat Helen Morgan overturned a majority of almost 23,000, winning by 5,925 votes.

The PM has come under increasing criticism recently following newspaper reports of Downing Street Christmas parties taking place during last year's lockdown and 99 Conservative MPs voted against the government when his latest measures for dealing with the coronavirus pandemic went before parliament last week.

The by-election was brought about following the resignation of Owen Paterson, who had been found to have breached parliamentary lobbying rules.

Johnson, who now has a majority of 79, led the Conservatives to victory in the last general election two years ago, but Coral and Ladbrokes are 4-6 that he will not be leading his party into battle the next time the country goes to the polls, which is due to be on May 2, 2024.

He is 11-10 with those firms to last next year at the helm, with chancellor of the exchequer Rishi Sunak 9-4 to replace him.

Coral and Ladbrokes go 8-1 that Johnson leaves before the end of this year, and he is as short as 5-1 elsewhere.

Foreign secretary Liz Truss is 9-2, while housing secretary Michael Gove is an 8-1 chance.

The Conservatives are even-money to claim a majority victory at the next election, while Coral and Ladbrokes go 11-8 that no party will have overall control.

Labour, who came third in this week's contest after being the Tories' closest challengers last time in North Shropshire, are 6-1 to claim a clear victory.

Leader Sir Keir Starmer is 15-2 with Hills to be the next PM, behind both Sunak and Truss.

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