Reform is straight out of the traps to call for a by-election in Mike Amesbury’s constituency of Runcorn & Helsby. Chairman Zia Yusuf says “the great people of Runcorn deserve far better than this. We call on Mike Amesbury to do the honourable thing and resign immediately so a by-election can be held.” Otherwise it’s a wait for the recall petition…
Bookmaker Star Sports have some odds on a potential by-election:
Reform was second at the general election last year and have performed well nationally since. A nearby council by-election saw Farage’s party pick up a seat from Labour. Reform leaflets have been circulating (featuring photos of Amesbury) heavily since mid-November – activists have campaigned there every weekend since October’s altercation and party HQ says they are “throwing the kitchen sink” at the seat. Runcorn’s predecessor seat Weaver Vale voted Tory twice in the last decade. There may not be much love for Starmer locally, but a 14,696 Labour majority is a daunting one to overturn…
Speaking to Sky News off the back of Rachel Reeves’ Air Passenger Duty hike, Ryanair chief executive Michael O’Leary said:
“Labour is dependent on those Red Wall seats, and yet every move she makes poisons economic growth and damages the UK’s recovery… it’s the Chancellor who stumbles from policy misstep to policy misstep… I think her policy decisions are incredibly stupid.”