By Jonathan Isaby
I can reveal today that Nigel Adams, the Conservative MP for Selby and Ainsty, will be campaign manager for the forthcoming Barnsley Central by-election, which will occur once sitting MP Eric Illsley formally quits his Commons seat. Later this month he will be sentenced after his guilty pleas to false accounting relating to his parliamentary expenses.
Nigel's family hails from the Barnsley area and I know he is looking forward to getting stuck in with the challenge of helping put the Conservative case in a constituency which has not always been natural Tory territory.
He tells me:
"We will be fighting this campaign hard as Labour has failed Barnsley and allowed parties with extreme views to prosper. At the general election we were only a handful of votes behind the Lib Dems: there is no pact and we will be fighting for every vote."
A Conservative candidate will shortly be selected, but already the party is working on the ground.
There are further action days taking place today, tomorrow and on Monday February 7th and if you would like to volunteer to help, please email [email protected].
The campaign centre situated at 9a High Street, Penistone, S36 6BR (Tel: 01226 762155). It is situated half a mile from Penistone railway station.
