British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has braced Tory MPs for possible defeats in Thursday's three by-elections, but promised them he will outline his vision to win over voters in the coming months.
At a meeting of the 1922 Committee of Conservative backbenchers on the eve of the polls, Mr Sunak said that they faced a "tough battle" in what were once seen as safe seats for the Tories.
He told them that governing parties rarely win by-elections but urged the MPs to unite in the face of any defeat as he pledged to "throw everything" at winning the next general election, sources said.
The next nationwide poll is scheduled to be held by January 2025.
The polls opened early this morning and will close at 10pm tonight.
Results are expected in the early hours of Friday morning.
Labour hopes to take the West London constituency of Uxbridge and South Ruislip, which was Boris Johnson's seat until he quit.
The then-prime minister had a majority of 7,210 when the seat was last contested at the general election in 2019, with Labour coming in second place.
A divisive car emissions scheme introduced by Sadiq Khan, the Labour Mayor of London, has provided the battleground for the by-election.
Labour's candidate had sought to distance himself from the Ulez (ultra low emission zone) expansion, which will see many drivers in Uxbridge and South Ruislip slapped with daily charges. The Tories hope the controversial policy will swing the vote in their favour.
The Conservative Party are also hoping to cling on to the seat of Selby and Ainsty in North Yorkshire, vacated by the resignation of Mr Johnson's ally, Nigel Adams.
The Liberal Democrats are looking at victory in the contest in Somerton and Frome, vacated when Tory MP David Warburton quit after admitting to cocaine use amid allegations of sexual harassment. Mr Warburton had a majority of 19,213 at the last election, with the Lib Dems in second place.
Losses in all three of the seats would be the first time in 55 years that a government has been defeated in three by-elections on the same day. A triple loss would make Mr Sunak the first prime minister since Harold Wilson in 1968 to record such a dismal outcome/
"In the coming months, I am going to set out more of what I would do if I had a full term," Mr Sunak was understood to have told his MPs on Wednesday evening.
Rishi Sunak through the years - in pictures
"I was recently described as a full-spectrum modern Conservative and you are going to see that in the programme I lay out."
Mr Sunak pledged to show the public "who is really on their side".
"And that is what will propel us to victory."
He was conscious of the battle he will face if voters roundly reject the Tory candidates, but urged MPs to unite for a general election expected next year.
"When we come back in September we have a choice to make, all of us," Mr Sunak said. "Do we come together and throw everything at winning the next election or not?
"I've made my choice, I'm all in with you to win. I promise you we can do this but we can only do it together as one team."
Tory backbencher Jonathan Gullis told reporters outside the meeting that the problem is "apathetic Conservative voters" rather than the public's support for Labour leader Keir Starmer.
Mr Gullis said Mr Sunak told them "what we already know, which is it's going to be a tough battle" in the by-elections.
Tory MPs at the meeting said he did not address suggestions that he could spring a Cabinet reshuffle on Friday to try to reset his premiership.
During a visit to Warwickshire, Mr Sunak told reporters: "You would never expect me to comment on things like that."
He welcomed a fall in the rate of inflation as proof that his government's plans were working.
Mr Sunak's press secretary acknowledged it would be tough for the Tories to hold the three seats on Thursday.
"By-elections for incumbent governments are very difficult. That is the nature of them," she said.
"The election that the Conservative Party is most focused on is the general election."
Mr Johnson held London's Uxbridge constituency with a 7,000 majority when he was prime minister at the last general election in 2019.
Mr Adams secured North Yorkshire's Selby and Ainsty with a 20,000 majority that night, a similar margin to Mr Warburton's victory in his Somerset seat.
