ConservativeHome's Seats & Candidates blog

The fragility of many Conservative MPs' majorities should be a cause for concern

By Matthew Barrett
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Reading Dewi at Slugger O'Toole's analysis of the Scottish election results - and the fact the SNP were only a few thousand votes short of an even more stunning victory, such was the small size of the Lab/Con/Lib majority in a number of Holyrood seats - I was reminded of the fragility of a number of Conservative Westminster seats.

When examining our performance in last year's general election, an often over-looked fact is that many, almost certainly the majority, of Conservative MPs who won their seats last year from Labour, have smaller majorities than their Labour predecessors had in 1997.

This should be a cause for concern. If there was an election in a month's time, and even if the parties were level, at, say, 37%/37% and the Lib Dems on 10%, electoral calculators show Labour would win back tens of seats we gained last year.

Michael Ellis selected for Northampton North

Yesterday's post.

Finalists for Northampton North

Two locals Barry Howard and Michael Ellis compete with Rutland A-lister Christine Emmett for the seat of Northampton North (projected Labour majority 3,483) in an open primary selection this evening.

Yet another example of an Association choosing the open primary route to avoid the half-women-final rule.