It never rains but it pours for Rishi Sunak. Just when a new term loomed, with the encouraging news that UK GDP had been revised upwards, along comes a deluge of bad news to dampen his freshly-raised spirits. First, there was the ongoing row about school roofs potentially collapsing on kids – a ‘sub-optimal’ spectacle, in the words of one Tory backbencher.
And now, the Conservatives look set to face another by-election, this time in their long-time safe seat of Tamworth. For Chris Pincher (remember him?) has today lost his appeal against a proposed eight-week suspension from parliament for groping two men at a London club last year. That will trigger a recall petition for his constituents and the chance to cause a by-election in his seat.
Given Pincher’s near total absence from parliament and much anger from local residents, a contest now seems near-inevitable. Tamworth has a Tory majority of almost 20,000 but given Pincher’s behaviour and Conservative losses in North Shropshire, Tiverton and Somerton, another loss now seems likely.
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