Labour’s Batley and Spen By-Election Candidate, Kim Leadbeater, has quite impressively managed to break campaigning rules before the election has even begun. Campaigning rules state that election posters cannot be erected until 4pm today, however Guido has received pictures of Labour posters already plastered round the Batley and Spen constituency. Labour never like to play fair… 

In addition to this, the overly-enthusiastic Labour team have reportedly fixed campaigning posters to private lampposts on private property, something they did not have permission to do. No surprise that socialists have no respect for private property, though this blatant disregard for homeowner’s rights may backfire on Kim Leadbeater by upsetting potential voters.

Last week Guido reported that neither Paul Halloran nor Laurence Fox’s Reclaim Party would stand in this hotly contested seat. A statement from Richard Tice explained that the Reform Party will also be standing aside because they “do not want to split the vote and reduce chances of Labour being ousted.” With Galloway splitting the left’s vote, and right-of-centre voters uniting behind Ryan Stephenson, this may be another Red Wall seat to fall, bookies are making the Tory the hot favourite…

Independent candidate Paul Halloran, who stood in Batley & Spen in 2019 and received 12.2% of the vote, has announced he will not be standing in the forthcoming by-election. A major boost to the Tories’ chances.

The statement has just been put out by Laurence Fox’s Reclaim party, with whom Halloran had been in discussion for some time. Reclaim says neither they, nor Halloran, will stand in the by-election, however Halloran does intend to stand as Reclaim’s candidate in the constituency come the next election.

“Paul and I have decided that we will not stand in the by election.

It has been made clear to both of us that many people in Batley and Spen are fed up with the Labour Party.

The Labour Party have lost their way. We cannot in good conscience stand and risk splitting the vote and condemning Batley and Spen to any more years of Labour control.

The Labour Party is one of the most divisive and intolerant political parties in the UK.”

The statement is far from an endorsement of the Tories’ candidate, however, accusing Ryan Stephenson of only caring about his party, and being someone “who couldn’t find Batley & Spen on a map four weeks ago”. With Galloway taking votes from the left, and the right narrowing down to one main contender, this by-election just became a major headache for Sir Keir…

UPDATE 06/06: Reform Party also standing aside so as not to split the right-wing vote. Richard Tice’s statement: 

“We do not want to split the vote and reduce chances of Labour being ousted. While do not support this government, particularly with its approach to lockdown’s, the Northern Ireland Protocol and its new globalist tax agenda, a Tory win would lead to an early election, possibly next year and hopefully the final nail in Labour’s coffin.”

Now that the date for the Batley & Spen by-election is set for July 1, Guido’s taken a look at the runners and riders in the upcoming contest. There are five confirmed candidates, with local independent heavyweight Paul Halloran still yet to declare:

• Labour: Kim Leadbeater – Sister of Jo Cox. Very limited political experience, having only joined the party a month ago, and only after Labour ignored their own rules to let her run. Initially seen within the party as the safest bet. There’s now a bit of a feeling on the ground that it’s a ‘cynical’ move on Labour’s part. 
• Conservatives: Ryan Stephenson – Chairman of the West Yorkshire Conservatives, and Leeds councillor. First entered politics in 2016. Claims he’s “a fervent campaigner for the protection of the Green Belt and of the natural environment”. If elected, he’d be the first Tory candidate in the constituency for 25 years. 
• LibDems: Jo Conchie – TV producer and director. Recent credits include “Bargain Brits on Benefits” and “Bargain-Loving Brits in Blackpool”. Clearly the LibDems think the people of Batley & Spen love electing TV stars…
• Workers Party of Britain: George Galloway – A familiar face to co-conspirators. Claims he’s ‘standing against Sir Keir Starmer’, and that it’s ‘curtains‘ for Starmer if Labour lose the seat. Fears within Labour that he’ll capitalise on the Israel-Palestine conflict to siphon enough votes away from Leadbeater to tip the balance. There’s a high Muslim population in the constituency, so it’s not impossible.
• Yorkshire Party: Corey Robinson – A local medical research engineer. Obviously not a significant player in the race, although the party did come third in the West Yorkshire Mayoral election. Managing to beat the Greens and the LibDems…
• Reform / Reclaim (?): Paul Halloran – Still yet to declare. Stood in 2019 for the Heavy Woollen District Independents and took 12% of the vote. Could be the Tories’ kingmaker. Speculated to have had discussions with Tice and the Reform Party. Pictured yesterday with Laurence Fox, sparking rumours he’ll ultimately side with Reclaim…
• UKIP think a working-class area deserves Jack Thomson “a young working-class man himself who understands the every-day struggles that real people face in their everyday lives.”

The bookies currently, surprisingly, make the Tories favourites to win…