It’s time to fire up the risographs, dust off the rosettes, and hit the doorsteps.

The sleaze scandal that has engulfed the Tories this week has reminded members up and down the country why Boris Johnson’s Government must be beaten. Politics must be better than this.

And the North Shropshire by-election is a great chance to send them a message they can’t ignore – and help cement the party back on the political map.

There was much speculation in the media yesterday about a possible “unity independent anti-corruption” candidate. On Friday morning, Labour ruled this out – so it’s not an available option.

This constituency is fertile territory for the Lib Dems. Labour may have finished second by default in 2019, but things have changed since then.

Most importantly, we have an enthusiastic and energetic local team who have picked up the baton to take the fight to the Tories. They’re the opposition on Shropshire Council and they deserve our support.

In May we finished second across North Shropshire – winning twice as many votes as Labour or the Greens. We came within a whisker of electing five councillors, with Labour nowhere. A casual glance at the seat’s profile makes clear Labour could never win here.

Above all, it’s worth remembering that the only way to dent the Tories in North Shropshire is to take votes directly from them, as they got over half the vote last time.

Chesham & Amersham proved that we can take votes directly from the Conservatives in a way that other opposition parties can’t.

We make our own luck in Westminster by-elections. More than anything, how we do depends on how fast we get the show on the road and how many people show up to help.

So it’s over to you. If you want more Lib Dem success, please back the North Shropshire campaign to make it happen. You can donate here – or offer to volunteer here.

* Lisa Smart is the Chair of the Liberal Democrats Federal Campaigns and Elections Committee