Unsettling news reaches me about the Conservatives in Bedford. Over the last three weeks or so, I understand that no fewer than ten of the party's 22 councillors or selected council candidates for next June's elections have decided not to stand after all.
One insider has spoken to me about the situation, citing a sense of disillusionment within the group about its lack of vision and serious concerns about the visibility (or lack thereof) of a campaign on the ground.
Clearly this does not bode well for next year's council elections or the general election: Bedford is a key marginal parliamentary seat which needs to be regained from Labour in order for David Cameron to become Prime Minister.
One Lib Dem blogger in the area has already written about the situation and I gather that Bedfordshire on Sunday will be covering the story in greater detail tomorrow.
Let's hope that this sense of drift can be halted and some momentum regained quickly.
Jonathan Isaby
