If the North Shropshire by-election was already proving a headache for the Tories, it just got worse this morning. Top Tory councillor Anthony Allen has today announced his resignation from the party and defected to Laurence Fox and Martin Daubney’s Reclaim Party. Their first elected official…

Allen has slammed the Tory Party, saying they “simply aren’t conservative any more”:

“The’ve gone soft on illegal immigration, they’ve lost control of taxation and are obsessed with crippling green taxes nobody wants.

“On December 16th let’s send a clear message to the mainstream parties. It’s time for real change. It’s time for Reclaim”.

Laurence Fox says Anthony is an “amazing councillor who lives and breathes North Shropshire… Anthony is our first councillor, but – watch this space – he won’t be our last”. 

Yesterday The Observer published – heavy dose of scepticism required – “internal LibDem” polling suggesting a swing towards them over the last few days, against the Tories, despite their candidate having to apologise for comparing Channel migrants to Auschwitz prisoners. It’s a much, much tougher battle for the Tories than Bexley…