Jeremy Corbyn has been to Peterborough this morning to congratulate his victorious candidate Lisa Forbes, who he called a “wonderful MP” despite (or maybe not despite) her anti-Semitic social media activity. He went on to “she has our total and full support” which could be interpreted as a response to two Jewish Labour MPs, Margaret Hodge and Louise Ellman, submitting formal complaints against Forbes, and the Jewish Labour Movement calling for the whip to be removed. Corbyn’s taking a firm stand against some of the few remaining Jewish members of his Party…

Labour held on, scraping just 683 more votes than the Brexit Party. The Tories outperformed expectations and clung on to over 7,000 of their voters. Rumblings throughout the day that the Labour Party’s ground operation was far more sophisticated than the Brexit Party’s have been borne out, with much of the blame falling on the lack of a solid Brexit Party ‘Get Out The Vote’ operation which Farage candidly admitted was due to a lack of data. Brexit Party campaigners were said to be milling about with leaflets while Labour Party campaigners were knocking up known voters…

Peterborough has swapped a convicted criminal for someone with serious questions to answer over her attitude towards Jewish people. Lovely.

There are some echoes of Eastleigh in 2013; when another by-election was called after an MP was sent to prison in circumstances relating to a driving offence and a bullish insurgent UKIP came second to a deeply unpopular party which would have lost the seat if it weren’t for a divided vote on the right. The message for the Tories is that if they don’t deliver Brexit they will usher in a Corbyn government…

UPDATE: Stewart Jackson, the former Tory MP for Peterborough responds “This is true. No Brexit on October 31^st. No Conservative Party.”

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Here’s one for fans of rapid response campaigning – the Brexit Party have managed to rebut a Labour attack ad in Peterborough’s local paper today before it even went to print. Last night the Peterborough Telegraph let the Brexit Party know out of courtesy that Labour were running an attack ad in the paper – within an hour they responded with a slick ad of their own, in time to make it into the same paper. Well played…

Rumours are swirling about Westminster over the Brexit Party candidate for the upcoming by-election in Peterborough abounds – it just so happens the Brexit Party are holding a large rally in Peterborough tonight. Although there is speculation that they’ll hold off for electoral spending reasons, can Nigel resist the opportunity for a big set-piece announcement?

Names have been bandied about from Annunziata Rees-Mogg to Farage himself. The name Guido has been hearing is Stewart Jackson…

Jackson was Tory MP for Peterborough from 2005 to 2017, he then became David Davis’ chief of staff after losing to Fiona Onasanya by just 607 votes. Last week he denied he would be standing for any party in Peterborough, although he’s been more coy with Tory MPs when they’ve asked him directly. He has certainly been showing some leg with his recent tweets:

• “Devastating poll shows 40% of Tory councillors back the Brexit Party”
• Claire Fox explains why she’s standing for the Brexit Party
• “Dear Leavers, Lord Adonis doesn’t want your support, but my Brexit Party certainly does” from Farage himself
• “Tories will vote in droves for the Brexit Party” just yesterday

Guido hears that some eurosceptic Tory MPs have been seriously mulling a defection to the Brexit Party after the EU elections. If Jacko moves first it could start a chain reaction, on the other hand would Brexiteers really want to lose their say over next Tory leader?

UPDATE: Jackson has poured cold water on the chances of him becoming the Brexit Party’s candidate. Farage says the candidate will be announced in the next 24 hours or so…

Like many Conservatives I'm appalled by Theresa May's disastrous & dishonest handling of Brexit & coming stitch up – In order to save party good Conservatives need to stay put. I WON'T be Brexit Party candidate in #Peterborough. https://t.co/6apcXFa2S8

— Stewart Jackson (@BrexitStewart) May 7, 2019

Sad news for Peterborough residents after Stewart Jackson, who served as the area’s MP from 2005-2017, has announced he will not be seeking the Conservative Party nomination to stand again. He narrowly lost his seat last year to Labour’s Fiona Onasanya, who has now been charged with perverting the course of justice.

The Tories will be selecting their new candidate for this top target next month. Jackson will be looking for a seat elsewhere…