Shropshire Liberal Democrats have turned themselves into a mighty vote-winning machine. And there's not just Helen Morgan's victory in North Shropshire to prove it: look at the succession of council by-elections they have won.
The most recent of these was in the Worfield division, just to the east of Bridgnorth. And it's the subject of an article on Conservative Home by the hereditary peer Gavin Hamilton - Lord Hamilton of Dalzell - who is the president of Ludlow Conservatives:
The recent Worfield by-election in Shropshire serves as a sobering wake-up call for Conservative councils and formerly safe Shire seats. This division, previously a Conservative stronghold returning 75 per cent and 77 per cent of the votes for the Conservatives in the previous two elections, was lost to the Liberal Democrats by eight votes, a swing of 30 per cent against the party. This was despite a well-run campaign with an excellent candidate, no scandals with the previous councillor, and few issues with Shropshire Council.
To avoid catastrophic defeats in future Council and General Elections, it is crucial to understand the malaise affecting the party and its supporters - and the dearth of Conservative principles at national level which caused this unexpected result. The omens for the future of the Conservative Party are depressing.
I'm not sure the victory was so unexpected to Shropshire Lib Dems, but I take this to be a coded attack on the Tories' lurch to the right and preference for fighting culture wars rather than tackling the many real problems the country faces.
Do read the whole article, if only to be cheered by its conclusion:
The outcome of the Worfield by-election carries significant implications for the Conservative Party. It was one of the safest divisions in South Shropshire (formerly Ludlow). Losing there, with such a strong swing against and no impediments to the campaign goes further than the lessons from North Shropshire that there are no safe seats for the Conservatives in rural Britain.
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