Tories to join forces with UKIP, say Huff Post sources
The Conservative Party has struck a deal with UKIP and won’t field a candidate in the upcoming Stoke by-election, it was alleged yesterday.
[contentcards url=”http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/tories-write-off-stoke-by-election-as-they-fear-awkward-defeat-party-sources-say_uk_588108f5e4b0b8867de7372b?
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The story, reported by Martha Gill of the Huffington Post, has not yet been fully picked up by bigger media outlets.
John McDonnell’s press secretary James Mills tweeted:
Paul Nuttall is a Tory candidate.. *AGAIN* RT Tories write off stoke-on-trent central by-election, party sources say https://t.co/VNcAX251dm
— James Mills (@JamesMills1984) January 24, 2017
But is it True?
One can understand Mills’s frustration, but is it true the Tories won’t field a candidate?
According to Wikipedia in the 2015 Stoke Central General Election the Tory candidate got just 33 votes less than the UKIP candidate.
And the Chancellor was actually in Brexit-backing Stoke only yesterday to talk about the Government’s new ‘hands on’ Industrial Strategy:
Unsurprisingly, Mr Hammond rejected suggestions that Stoke’s Brexit vote was due to austerity https://t.co/0rMNpA2R3n pic.twitter.com/ysCfQJbZh4
— Phil Corrigan (@PhilC2010) January 23, 2017
Stoke Conservatives who run the City Council in a coalition with independents tweeted:
Great to have @PHammondMP visit #StokeonTrent today! Only the @Conservatives have a proven track record on delivering for our city! pic.twitter.com/vJ4bIX3sEe
— Stoke Conservatives (@SoTConservative) January 23, 2017
Hardly the behaviour of a party that won’t field a candidate.
In fact the Tory Deputy Leader of the Council was out canvassing this weekend :
Good to be out in #StokeCentral this morning with @SoTConservative & others! pic.twitter.com/k0xuuCRyNs
— Abi Brown (@AbiBrown1) January 21, 2017
The Tories will apparently be choosing their candidate tomorrow night – on the same night as Labour:
My friends in Stoke Labour tell me they’re selecting their Central candidate the same night we are @DanielJellyman @grancake @britainelects
— Joe Rich (@joerichlaw) January 23, 2017
@grancake @joerichlaw @britainelects that’s because selection is Wednesday night. However delivered 10k leaflets over weekend
— Daniel Jellyman (@DanielJellyman) January 23, 2017
@grancake @joerichlaw @britainelects so you’ll know who the candidate is come Thursday morning
— Daniel Jellyman (@DanielJellyman) January 23, 2017
Esther McVey on UKIP’s Chances
Former Tory Welfare Minister Esther McVey was on Marr a couple of weeks ago talking up UKIP’s chances in Stoke:
But grassroots Tories are unwilling to cede a single vote, let alone seat, to UKIP or Labour:
Not sure I agree with Esther McVey here. UKIP members/supporters are heading to the Tories in droves. #ConGain https://t.co/w5k8xaZ9ko
— Andrew Thorpe-Apps (@AG_ThorpeApps) January 15, 2017
Despite all this grassroots sentiment would the Tory Party Strategists still gift a seat to UKIP?
To many such pragmatism could be a step too far.
From Nasty to Neo-Nazi
In the eyes of many this could shift the Tories from the Nasty Party to the Neo-Nazi Party
Dramatic Turnaround
As for Stoke Central itself, wouldn’t it be something for them to lose their Old Etonian former shadow cabinet member to the Victoria and Albert Museum and to replace him with a UKIP leader who to many is nothing more than a neo-fascist thug?
Nuttall once stood for the Conservatives in Bootle, his hometown, before becoming a UKIP MEP.
The following story appeared in yesterday’s Evening Standard in London.
Should you find yourself in Stoke this week the Repertory Theatre is staging : One Man Two Guvnors
