London - British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's governing Conservatives suffered two devastating defeats in previously safe parliamentary seats on Friday, casting doubts on his party's ability to win the expected general election next year.

This double defeat marked a dramatic decline in support for the Conservatives, who had previously won the last four national elections. It's only the third time since 1991 that a British prime minister has lost two by-elections on the same day.

The primary opposition party, Labour, secured a victory in the Mid-Bedfordshire constituency, north of London, overturning a massive majority of nearly 25,000, making it the party's most significant by-election comeback since 1945. Labour also managed to overturn a substantial majority in Tamworth, another former Conservative stronghold in central England, with the second-largest swing between the two parties since World War II.

Labour leader Keir Starmer described these results as "phenomenal" and interpreted them as a sign that people overwhelmingly desire change and are ready to place their faith in the newly transformed Labour Party.

Rishi Sunak, a 43-year-old former investment banker and Prime Minister, has attempted to rebrand himself as a bold reformer rather than the cautious technocrat who restored some of Britain's credibility after past scandals and economic turmoil that led to his two predecessors stepping down.

However, with public dissatisfaction regarding high inflation, economic stagnation, and extended waiting times for the state-run health service, Sunak is running out of time to close the polling gap with Labour, which has maintained a double-digit lead over the Conservatives for over a year.

A Conservative spokesperson noted that the results were challenging, but it's common for governments to struggle in mid-term elections. Sunak had recently presented himself as a reformer willing to make tough decisions to revive the economy. He announced plans to scrap a high-speed railway line and had previously mentioned plans to revise the country's net-zero commitments.

Despite these efforts, post-conference polls showed that Sunak had failed to significantly narrow the gap with Labour, although his personal ratings improved slightly.

The by-elections in Mid-Bedfordshire and Tamworth were triggered by high-profile resignations of politicians closely associated with former Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Nadine Dorries resigned her Mid-Bedfordshire seat after failing to secure support for an appointment to the upper house of parliament, while the contest in Tamworth resulted from the resignation of Chris Pincher, who was suspended from parliament for inappropriate conduct.

In the recent by-elections, Labour won Mid-Bedfordshire with a majority of over 1,100, overturning a Conservative majority of 24,664 from the 2019 general election. Tamworth was also won by the Labour candidate, Sarah Edwards, with a majority of over 1,300, overturning the Conservative majority of 19,634 from the 2019 general election.

These losses and the ongoing polling trends have led to a growing backlash against Rishi Sunak, with concerns about his party's performance in the upcoming general election. While some Conservative MPs have suggested that Sunak's rebranding efforts have failed to gain significant traction with voters, others have called for policy changes and a clear vision to regain public support.

These election results have repositioned Labour as the largest party in local government, with more seats than the Conservatives across England. The Liberal Democrats also gained ground, winning control of Michael Gove's local council in Surrey Heath. This outcome has increased the Liberal Democrats' hopes of making gains in "Blue Wall" seats traditionally held by the Tories in the next general election.

In response to the election results, Rishi Sunak attempted to attribute the losses to past political dramas within the Conservative Party, rather than addressing the current challenges facing the party. While some Conservative MPs voiced support for Sunak's approach, others have criticized it, calling for policy changes and a clearer vision to regain public trust.

Despite these setbacks, the ultimate outcome of the next general election remains uncertain, with experts suggesting that Labour might not secure an outright majority.