To quote Nigel Huddleston, the Conservative prospective parliamentary candidate for Luton South,

“[Esther Rantzen’s] involvement could split the anti-Moran vote and help Labour to win again”.

What do these prospective “independent” candidates really wish to achieve, other than to deny the electorate the chance of representation by a genuine, Conservative MP?

MPs' expenses: Simon Heffer still considering opposing Alan Haselhurst

Esther Rantzen should stick to Strictly Come Dancing

Just as The Daily Telegraph today disclosed the identities of those Liberal Democrat MPs who have taken ample advantage of the lax parliamentary expenses rules, a large part of the mainstream media has concentrated on the generalities of the scandal, with ample references to Labour and Conservative “miscreants”.  This is not surprising given the Liberal Democrats are the “progressive” media’s last best chance of preventing a Conservative landslide at the next General Election.

“As usual the [Conservative] party’s spin doctors will try hard to dampen expectations, but the story is clear. The Tories may be at an historic high water mark across local government as a whole, but there is room for improvement at this particular election cycle. If they do not make substantial gains, they are little better off than that day four years ago when they were simultaneously losing a general election. Nothing less than gains well into three figures and a share of the national vote above 40% will justify the claim that David Cameron is on his way to Downing Street.”

Colin Rallings and Michael Thrasher

Outlook for the June 4 local elections

Media commentators circle to pick over the bones of the Conservative "defeat" in the May 2007 local elections

Local Elections: The Conservatives are being set up for a fall