The Bluffer's Briefing on: By-Elections

Persons ineligible to stand for election: Undischarged bankrupts; members of the House of Lords; people sentenced to more than one year's imprisonment; clergy; judges; members of the armed forces or police.

Nomination essentials: A deposit of pounds 500 and the signatures of 10 people registered in the constituency.

Permitted expenses: Personal expenses plus pounds 4,330 plus 3.7p for each elector in a borough constituency or 4.9p in a county constituency.

What the Labour Party spokesman is most likely to say if the Liberal Democrats win: 'The Tories have lost their moral authority to govern.'

What the Conservative Party spokesman is most likely to say if the Liberal Democrats win: 'A disastrous result for Labour.'

Seats lost by the Conservatives in by-elections for the period of the last Parliament: Kincardine and Deeside; Langbaurgh; Vale of Glamorgan; Mid-Staffordshire; Eastbourne; Ribble Valley; and Monmouth.

Seats regained by Conservatives at the general election: Kincardine and Deeside; Langbaurgh; Vale of Glamorgan; Mid-Staffordshire; Eastbourne; Ribble Valley; and Monmouth.

By-elections contested by 'Lord' Sutch: 33

Best performance: 546 votes at Liverpool Walton.

Best Performance by Lindi St Clair (Corrective Party): 216 votes at Eastbourne.

Number of times 'Lord' Sutch has finished below Lindi St Clair: None.