Eddie Hughes is currently in line to be the Conservative candidate for the constituency at the next election, despite being a sitting MP for another seat, and has announced he will not resign to contest the by-election.
A by-election in the predecessor seat to Tamowrth in 1996 saw a Tory majority of 12.5 per cent become a 31.6 per cent Labour one.
But he looks to be a stronger candidate than he did four years ago, when he first stood to be West Midlands Mayor.
Some of its problems can be fixed. Others won’t be. And one perhaps can’t be: namely, that this Parliament seems to be incapable of saying No.
The Prime Minister has also chosen not to tinker with the whips, in contrast to the habit of both his predecessors.
Our readers’ top choice was the same as Number Ten’s for the Lords: York. But a good case was made for Coventry – and Warwick University.
The Whips and CCHQ should utilise the experience of Bretherton, Bradley, Clarke, Hughes and Rowley – all of whom won Labour seats in 2017.
“The working class of Britain have sent two shock results to Westminster. People lent us their vote in this election…we must not let them down.”
Our region-by-region survey of possible key seats continues with a look at what is shaping up to be one of the key head-to-head confrontations between the Tories and Labour.
Our collective decision to concentrate on targeted literature resulted in success against keyboard warriors navel gazing on social media and preaching to their own.
Success in politics is about delivering the goods. This should provide encouragement to the local associations who fared less well last week.
Our approach, and our message, won the backing of communities which have previously only ever voted Labour. It can work elsewhere, too.
One way in which the Government could help would be through a temporary increase in the Gift Aid rate. Conservatives introduced Gift Aid in 1990, and now have the chance to enhance it.