Nick Clegg is campaigning in Leicester today, ahead of the local election. The Labour
party has just confirmed that Sir Peter Soulsby has stood down as MP for Leicester
South today to seek election as the town’s Mayor.
A happy coincidence? Probably not. Labour are already running a coherent campaign in Leicester. Michael Crick points out that the by-election will fall on 5 May, together with the local council elections, the Mayoral election and the referendum on the alternative vote. A party spokesman has opened new parliamentary candidate Jonathan Ashworth’s (who used to work for Gordon Brown and Ed Miliband) campaign by saying:
‘Both Peter and Jon will offer the people of Leicester a strong local voice to stand up against the Tory-led Government’s unfair cuts which are hurting thousands of decent families across Leicester.’
Keith Vaz, MP for Leicester East, and Elizabeth Kendell, MP for Leicester West, will also lend their well drilled troops.
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