Nadine Dorries first announced her intention to resign her parliamentary seat “with immediate effect” on 9th June. And then she decides to actually do it 79 days later while I’m out celebrating my 35th wedding anniversary, returning to the scene of the crime for an absolutely delicious meal and some even lovelier cocktails.
So this means that the formal starting gun will likely be fired on the by-election campaign to replace her when Parliament resumes on 4th September. However, the Lib Dem campaign to get our brilliant candidate Emma Holland-Lindsay elected has been going on since the day after Nadine made her original announcement. Within hours, campaigners were gathering and swapping leaflets in supermarket car parks and the like.
If, as expected, the by-election takes place on 5th October, the publication of Nadine Dorries book about the downfall of Boris Johnson on 28 September, and any serialisation before, is bound to grab some headlines.
Ed Davey was questioned on whether the Lib Dems were the challengers on the For the Many Live podcast with Iain Dale and Jacqui Smith in Edinburgh:
He said he was feeling good about the prospect of a Mid Beds by-election as Labour party members there had told them they were voting for us. He said he wasn’t sure that we were going to win, but we were definitely the challengers. There was no way, he said, that people in the predominantly rural constituency were going to vote Labour to get the Tories out. He accused Nadine Dorries of an abuse of Parliament for her behaviour.
Last night, Ed said:
The people of Mid Bedfordshire deserve better than this circus act that has followed the Conservatives these past few months.
That is why we have put forward a strong local champion, Emma Holland-Lindsay, who will fight for every vote and bring constituents right to the heart of Parliament.
The Liberal Democrats are the bookies favourite in Mid Bedfordshire. In by-election after by-election across the blue wall we have proven we are the only challengers to the failing Conservative Party.
An hour later, Party Chief Executive Mike Dixon emailed party members asking them to go to Mid Beds.
The Mid Bedfordshire by-election is ON and polling day is likely to be Thursday 5th October. But it could be sooner.
We have 40 days to win this.
We need to make each day count. That’s why I’m asking you to come to Mid Bedfordshire THIS WEEKEND to help our campaign.
And you can bet your life he wants you there on every other day too.
What could be better than a lovely bank holiday saunter round some beautiful places with some leaflets?
If, like me, you can’t go, maraphones will be continuing several times per week so do get involved with helping us achieve our targets on the phone.
And of course, campaigns do not come cheap so donations are welcome.
All the information you need to help with all of these things is here. If you do go, tell us how you got on.
How good would it be to go into the home straight before an election with 16 MPs?
And just imagine what stunt the Campaigns Department could come up with this time….
* Caron Lindsay is Editor of Liberal Democrat Voice and blogs at Caron's Musings
2 Comments
What electioneering have the Conservatives been doing in the constituency for Dorries,s office and workforce are still around ,hope non?
OK. I was wrong. We are having a by-election. We still need to sort out transport from say Hitchin and Stevenage. Public transport is very difficult to the HQ.