Have the Tories given up?

Liberal Democrat Voice reports that the Lib Dems are already geared up for the Ealing Southall and Sedgefield by-elections.

But I was struck by a comment on Conservative Home's Tory Diary blog:

It is confirmed that Blair will be quitting as Sedgefield's MP. That'll stretch the LibDems' by-election operation.

Indeed it will. But what about the Tory by-election operation? Aren't they even going to try to win these contests?

Mrs Thatcher won by-elections in some very unlikely seats in the years leading up to her victory in 1979. If they are hoping to win the next general election, they should be looking to do the same now.