Another Conservative MP has resigned this morning. Chris Pincher, MP for Tamworth, was suspended some time ago for groping two men, and he has just lost his appeal against suspension. He had previously said that he would step down at the next General Election but he now says he is resigning immediately.
Assuming he is not doing a Dorries, we could be looking at a double by-election on 19th October, which has now, at last, been set as the date for the Mid Bedfordshire contest.
* Mary Reid is a contributing editor on Lib Dem Voice. She was a councillor in Kingston upon Thames, where she is still very active with the local party, and is the Hon President of Kingston Lib Dems.
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12 Comments
The last election in Tamworth had the Conservatives on 66%. Labour at almost 24% with us just saving our deposit on just over 5%. Labour did achieve 35% in 2017 and actually had a Labour MP in 2005, so a genuine testing ground for Labour which might encourage Labour to concentrate its efforts in this constituency.
This could provide a different gloss on strategy for Mid Bedfordshire.
@Martin – I agree. This could be good news for us.
Let us hope Labour divert resources. By election today, not to far away from Tamworth, quick drive down the A5, in Worfield, see how that goes.
Interesting one at Ashford yesterday, on your doorstep Mary, looks like the dreaded ULEZ has struck again, Cons wallop the Greens.
Re Worfield- last time was 75% Tory, but it wouldn’t be a complete surprise if we win today.
Apologies for comment not related but readers will be interested to listen to the rest is politics leading podcast this week which features a very interesting interview with Ed Davey.
Three by-election wins for Labour seems a bit of a stretch. Rutherglen is essential to show they have traction against the SNP. Tamworth will be seen by the media as a sign of Labour momentum. Therefore l would expect them to downgrade mid Beds especially if all held on or near the same date.
Not sure if the Ashford Town result can be attributed to the ULEZ since Spelthorne Borough is not in Greater London, and the recent extension of the ULEZ does not apply there. This result actually matches the one last May pretty closely.
Labour can fight three by-,elections at once.
They won’t let up in Mid Beds.
@Theakes @John Nicholson
Ashford Town by-election in Spelthorne 6th September had no LibDem candidate. This Ashford (formerly Middlesex) was just narrowly excluded from the GLA in 1965. It is typical of of districts bordering on Greater London where the ULEZ has an effect on people who have used their non-compliant cars to enter Greater London to work, shop, for leisure, or to access a railhead.
Victory at Worfield by 8 votes, virtually a 30 per cent swing
Two goodish results in Red Wall Newcastle Under Lyme, all encouraging
Ashford by-election: Tory gain from Green.
In May, Labour and Green had a non-agression pact. They put up 3 candidates for the three seats at stake in the relevant ward.
On Wednesday, they both put up candidates for the one seat at stake. Both lost vote share.
ULEZ probably only a very minor factor.
The important question is why didn’t we fight this ward? Surely potential fertile territory for us?