Last night the BBC told readers that Labour, the LibDems and the Greens could stand aside in the forthcoming North Shropshire by-election, to stand an anti-sleaze unity candidate against Owen Paterson’s replacement. While they managed to put egos and party differences aside in 1997 to defeat Neil Hamilton, it looks like that’s too much of a stretch in 2021. Last night Labour sources briefed out that wasn’t going to happen. This morning a LibDem official told the FT’s Jim Pickard:

“there was a scintilla of examining… an independent unity candidate of a Martin Bell nature… compliance rules & electoral legislation has changed dramatically since then making it virtually impossible”

Just days after a new book revealed Labour could have taken out Iain Duncan Smith, and the LibDems Dominic Raab if they’d stood unity candidates in 2019…

Talking of Neil Hamilton, he’s been on TimesRadio this morning saying he has a “certain sense of deja vu this morning… nothing much has changed” and arguing “The whole process is flawed”. Guido presumes Paterson did not have Neil Hamilton at the top of the list of people he hoped would be arguing his case this morning…

Westminster is on the brink of a by-election frenzy, with both Bexley and Southend now in need of replacements following the tragic deaths of both incumbents. Claudia Webbe is also facing losing her job in the wake of her harassment trial, and Owen Paterson faces a Commons vote on a 30-day suspension for lobbying, which would allow his constituents to force a by-election vote. A reporter’s dream…

It seems the soonest to be held will be Old Bexley & Sidcup, replacing James Brokenshire – a seat with a 19,000 majority in 2019. Guido learns the Tories will be selecting their candidate this Saturday, and while the by-election writ hasn’t been moved in the Commons by the government yet, it suggests an election relatively soon.

Local sources are pointing to councillor Louie French as the frontrunner. French has been representing the ward of Falconwood & Welling since 2014, and served as deputy leader from 2018-21. He stood as the Tory candidate in the South East London seat of Eltham in 2019, coming within just 3,000 votes of unseating Labour MP Clive Efford.

Louie may also be considered a frontrunner because of how eager he’s been at the prospect of a by-election. Guido hears he made enquiries to the party incredibly soon after Brokenshire’s passing was announced…

Claudia Webbe’s parliamentary career hasn’t even begun cooling, yet Labour has already begun preparing for a very likely Leicester East by-election. Campaign plans forwarded to Guido show the party intents a weekend push in the constituency, asking members to “spare an hour or two over the next week”:

“We need your help to speak to voters over Leicester East about the issues that matter most to them.

Don’t worry if you have never done any door knocking before – full training by friendly Labour faces will be provided”.

The party’s planning nine campaigning sessions totalling around 20 hours across this Saturday, Sunday and Monday. Guido wonders what Keith Vaz’s weekend plans are looking like…

When Kim Leadbeater won the Batley & Spen by-election back in July, George Galloway insisted he wouldn’t go quietly into the night. Having taken in over 22% of the vote share, the Workers Party of Britain promised to contest the result in the courts, claiming “it ain’t over till it’s over”, and warning that they “may be back in August doing this all over again”. It’s now the last day of August, and Galloway still isn’t wandering around the Commons…

Galloway has missed the initial 21-day deadline to challenge the result through the Election Petitions Office, although exceptions can be made provided there is evidence of “corrupt or illegal practices“, including bribery. A spokesperson tells Guido:

“We’ve been busy working our way through Labour’s expenditure return. The notion that the Tories spent more than Labour in this by-election will seem ludicrous to anybody who was in Batley at the time. There are a number of irregularities which we are working through with counsel, and will be able to provide a fuller update in due course.”

Unfortunately for Galloway he can no longer turn his attention to the possibility of a Polar & Limehouse by-election any time soon …

George Galloway’s campaign team have denied to Guido the rumours that Galloway plans to stand in any future Tower Hamlets by-election, which would be held if Apsana Begum is found guilty of housing fraud.

Speaking to Guido this morning, Galloway campaign chief James Giles said “no…that’s news to me“, and added that although the Workers Party of Britain would stand a candidate in that election if it were held, Galloway himself wouldn’t run. When asked whether George would fulfil his promise to eat his own hat if Labour won in Batley & Spen, the team said “it ain’t over till it’s over”, and they “may be back in August doing this all over again”. Looks like he’s more Ashdown than Pickard…

Starmer’s hired one of Blair’s former spinners and it shows. He’s already recycling Blair’s lines…