And now let's win Crewe and Nantwich...

While we wait and wait for the London results here is some very good news... from Crewe and Nantwich based on last night's local election results:

BUT NOTHING CAN BE TAKEN FOR GRANTED BUT WHAT IS CLEAR IS THAT THIS IS A TWO HORSE RACE BETWEEN LABOUR AND THE CONSERVATIVES.

If you can get to Crewe and Nantwich to help between now and the 22nd May please call 07594 567273 or email campaign.support@conservatives.com.

George Osborne is coming to the constituency tomorrow afternoon. Please do get in touch for more details.

Here's a map - please click to enlarge:

Comments

[Barney]

Never underestimate the Libdems dirty by-election campaigns! It's what they live for.

[David Boothroyd]

That's an imprecise figure. Crewe and Nantwich includes the entirety of five electoral divisions (Crewe East, Crewe South, Crewe West, Doddington and Rope), most of Crewe North, and small parts of Cholmondeley (Audlem, the village that wants to be Welsh). The figures therefore don't match the boundaries. The Liberal Democrats did not stand in Crewe North which would have affected their votes.

[alex]

Please can we avoid the "Only the Conservatives can beat labour here" line. I am heartily sick of seeing it on every Lib Dem leaflet ever printed-surely we don't need it

[CreweBoy]

Your figures are nonsense -

how do you arrive at an Independent figure of 1,786 ?

there were 4 inds in Nantwich who polled between 1000 and 1786 (!), 3 in Doddington who polled up to 997, 2 in Crewe North who polled 525 and 766, one in Crewe South (around 200?).

how on earth does that convert to 1,786 across the whole constituency???

[Dean]

Tamsin Dunwoody choses as Labour C&N by-election candidate

C&N Guardian

UK Polling Report

[Margaret on the Guillotine]

The Lib Dem carpetbagger from Newcastle is already running with a shiny website and Brian Paddick telling his supporters to get up there in his valedictory email. I expect the car parks of Crewe to be full of yellow VW campers as I type.

On the other hand no sign of activity from the Conservatives. Is Central Office looking at another "Bromley" - looking at a high but then crushingly embarassed by a useless Association who think they know what they're doing?

[Annabel Herriott]

I see yorks and the Humber are organising a troop from here to go across to help. Get volunteering folks.

[Susan]

How wonderful to see politics re-invigorated. Good luck to Edward Timpson in the forthcoming bye-election; I hope to see him on the Conservative benches in a few weeks' time.

[Graham Checker]

*****MESSAGE TO CAROLINE SPELMAN*****

Where are you? You reading this?

WE... ARE... TOO... BLOODY.....SLOOOOOW.

Get a GRIP - people!

The Lib-Dems already have a weeks head start, have started delivering leaflets and have a website up and running...

WHERE ARE YOU?

You need to FLOOD the constituency with activists, get Crosby up there, let him run the show, neuter the Lib-Dem barcharts showing their vote as up with one of our own showing our huge increases in the local elections on Thursday (ENSURE we are seen as the principle challengers) recanvass the whole of Crewe, identify supporters, GOTV, get 100% turnout of Tory supporters in Tory Nantwich, get into the local papers and on the local radio more often than Madeline McCann *AND* make sure everyone knows our candidates name (er.. who is he again?) OFF.. BY.. HEART.

WHERE ARE YOU?????

GET UP THERE - THIS AFTERNOON!

[Michael Bates]

I must respond to Graham Checker:

Caroline Spelman has done a fantastic job steering through historic victories in the local elections and London mayorial election and setting us up for a historic victory in Crewe & Nantwich on the 22nd.

We have a terrific local candidate in Edward Timpson, chosen by local people in an Open Primary in July last year, and who has been working incredibly hard since then.

Moreover, the Lib Dems were all over the press because of a huge row between Cowley Street (HQ) and the local party for ditching their local candidate on Friday in favour of a new candidate from outside the constituency:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2008/may/01/liberaldemocrats.byelections

The Conservatives operation in Crewe and Nantwich under first-class leadership was well established and the campaign centre was running and full tilt long before Labour and the Lib Dems even got round to selecting their candidates.

The local election results on Thursday broke the mould of politics in the north of England (and London). We are the Party who have been speaking up for the working poor who Labour squeezing 'till the pips squeak'. David Cameron is inspiring the electorate, leaving Brown and Clegg fighting for their political survival within their demoralised parties. Most importantly we have, in Edward Timpson, by far the best candidate to represent the interests of the people of Crewe & Nantwich in parliament.

I have never known such optimism and determination amongst Conservative activists as we embark a by election campaign. Let's make sure we tell it as it is. Let’s make sure we win.

[localboymadegood]

Dear Margaret on the guilletine

"The Lib Dem carpetbagger from Newcastle"

Er, Newcastle is the neighbouring constituency - how is that carpetbagging???

In fact, she lives closer to the constituency than the "local" Conservative candidate . . . . .

[IanC]

Have just got back from a day's delivering in C&N. Everything looks perfectly well organised, although I am sure the atrocious weather has kept some at home.

I would say to all those who just want to criticise - get the next train up and help the team.

Let's give Labour a good kicking, not Caroline Spelman.

[Graham Checker]

Er... I'm not criticising Caroline Spelman guys.

I'm trying to give the party a warning (she is the Chairman) and a kick up the arse!! It's not personal.

We are simply too slow at by-elections - you both know this.

We MUST react faster this time. We must.

[Cleethorpes Rock]

Obviously we need to harness the momentum and enthusiasm after the locals and London elections.

I think we should set up a campaign call centre in London so that London members can do their bit even if they can't make it up to Crewe. This proved very successful in identifying Boris voters and GOTV in London. It would also enable people up in Crewe to get out on the streets.

We will have lots of willing volunteers for this and I'm sure it would be a great help to the campaign.

[tn1487]

To; Graham Checker

I've been in C&N and in the last week have delivered 3 different lot of leaflets. If that's not organisation I don't know what is.

The libs are putting out their usual trashy newspapers and mailmerged letters.
As for Labour, they're putting out leaflets to pull on the heartstrings of voters with dunwoodys foto all over it (understandable given tne fact she was a great MP). But its the same colour scheme/design as Virgin Train leaflets-it even has a huge picture of a train on the 2nd page???

The lib dems will throw everything at this one-so I would encourage everyone who can to giv a hand.

[Will Smith]

Sorry to disillusion you guys but as a resident of a C & N village I have not seen hide nor hair of any Conservative presence. No literature, no canvassing no nothing. This seat is ripe for the taking but you will have to get out there and remind people that the Dunwoody they will see on the voting cards is under Brown's patronage and he will seek repayment, not the late Dunwoody who enjoyed a huge personal vote simply because she was a damn good MP.

By contrast, the Lib Dems have delivered all sorts of trash but it is eye catching trash and Labour billboards are up in gardens.

I saw a few of my local Tory Councillors in the pub last night and passed a comment to them. They near as ignored me. As a passive Tory and life long Tory voter you are serious danger of dropping the biggest clanger of all time. This seat will cement the next General Election, the loss of it will undo all the hard work from last week. Your call.