How to Spin Defeat in Oldham

Since Labour are all set to prevail in the Oldham and Saddleworth by-election (as was always likely) the government, and specifically the Deputy Prime Minister, will need a line to sell. It’s made a little awkward by the fact that this unecessary election is the consequence of a lawsuit brought by the defeated Liberal Democrat candidate but, hey, nothing’s perfect and no-one ever said these things would be easy. So what to say? Well…

All by-elections are unusual, unique affairs but this one was even more unusual than most. It was not fought because the incumbent MP had died but because a judge ruled that he had broken electoral law. Regardless of the facts of the Woolas case, it is unsatisfactory when an election result is over-turned by an unelected judge. When this happens no-one should be surprised if voters respond by doubling-down on the same party that won the original contest.