The pitfalls on Labour’s road to a triple by-election triumph

Tories have their eye on another ‘shock victory’ that could reopen the debate on tactical voting at the next election, says Sean O’Grady

Boris Johnson with Nadine Dorries in Mid Bedfordshire (PA)

Chris Pincher’s resignation from the Commons – after a groping scandal that toppled Boris Johnson as collateral damage – gives rise to yet another parliamentary by-election, in Tamworth, on 19 October.

It is the same day as the contest in Nadine Dorries’ constituency, Mid Bedfordshire – possibly a government tactic to get the bad news out all at once. Management of expectations will be key on all sides, so look out for an awful lot of spin.

But voters in Rutherglen and Hamilton West will go to the polls earlier, on 5 October – just before the Labour Party conference gets underway in Liverpool. (Margaret Ferrier, the former SNP MP for Rutherglen, was removed by her constituents after she broke Covid lockdown rules). The ideal outcome for Labour would obviously be a freshly-returned by-election victor to parade before the party members.