Labour to hold Copeland and Stoke-on-Trent Central by-elections in February

From Politics Home:

Labour is planning to hold the Copeland and Stoke-on-Trent Central by-elections on the same day next month ... 

Senior party sources say the crunch polls are "likely" to take place on 23 February, although a final decision has yet to be made. 

A formal announcement could take place as early as tomorrow.

Labour's presss briefing is so chaotic that this story could well be denied in the morning.

But short by-election campaigns must make sense for Labour. It's not as if prolonged exposure to the media and the voters is going to do them any favours at the moment.