Ampthill Market Square in the Mid Bedfordshire constituency is a seat that is up for grabs in the by-election and could provide insight into UK trends as a whole. AFP
Ampthill Market Square in the Mid Bedfordshire constituency is a seat that is up for grabs in the by-election and could provide insight into UK trends as a whole. AFP
Ampthill Market Square in the Mid Bedfordshire constituency is a seat that is up for grabs in the by-election and could provide insight into UK trends as a whole. AFP
Ampthill Market Square in the Mid Bedfordshire constituency is a seat that is up for grabs in the by-election and could provide insight into UK trends as a whole. AFP

By-elections in Conservative strongholds offer clues for UK government


Simon Rushton
  • English
  • Arabic

UK voters are picking candidates to replace two MPs – one who was left mired in scandal and one who has become symbolic for the apparent fall of the ruling Conservatives.

Disgraced former whip Chris Pincher resigned as an MP for Tamworth after losing his appeal against a suspension for drunken behaviour.

Nadine Dorries was a loyal ally of ousted Prime Minister Boris Johnson. She announced she would quit her Mid Bedfordshire seat at about the time he decided he was leaving the House of Commons.

In a blistering attack on Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in her resignation letter, she said Conservative MPs would face an “electoral tsunami” at the next general election because of a “zombie Parliament where nothing meaningful has happened”.

She announced she was resigning but took weeks to complete the formal steps, in turn, delaying the by-election to Thursday.

At the last election, the staunch Brexit supporter won with a 24,664 majority in a seat that has been a Tory stronghold since 1931.

Conservative sources say they have research which shows its vote share could fall from the 60 per cent Ms Dorries won last time to 30 per cent for their candidate.

The deeply true-blue stronghold could still be won, with Labour on course for 22 per cent and Lib Dems on 12 per cent.

At the same time, the Conservatives – who are lagging Labour in national opinion polls – may wish to publicly play down their chances, so that any success is deemed better than expected.

Labour's shadow health secretary Wes Streeting and the party's candidate for the Tamworth by-election Sarah Edwards canvas. Getty Images
Labour's shadow health secretary Wes Streeting and the party's candidate for the Tamworth by-election Sarah Edwards canvas. Getty Images

If the Conservatives lose the seat, it would represent one of the biggest collapses of support in English by-election history.

The vote is being held on the same day as the Tamworth by-election, where the Conservatives also have a large majority of 19,634.

Labour is hoping to flip the majorities in both constituencies but has been cautious not to appear complacent, with a spokesman saying it is a “moon shot” to win either or both seats.

The votes will also be a crucial test for Mr Sunak's pitch that the Conservatives – after 13 years in power – represent a vote for change.

Mr Pincher, who has represented the Staffordshire seat since 2010, stood down after being found to have drunkenly groped two men.

The controversy remains one of the pivotal moments in Boris Johnson's downfall.

Mr Sunak's party – battered by the cost of living crisis, the fallout from a series of political controversies in Mr Johnson’s time, and the short-lived Liz Truss administration – is trailing in opinion polls behind Keir Starmer's Labour Party.

Recent surveys have shown Labour's poll lead narrowing after Mr Sunak announced a number of populist policies.

Labour is hoping Thursday's result will mirror the result of the northern Selby and Ainsty local election in July, where the opposition overturned a 20,000 majority.

Voters on the same day, however, narrowly backed the Tories in Mr Johnson's former Uxbridge and South Ruislip constituency in a local poll dominated by a plan to extend a scheme taxing the use of the most polluting vehicles in London

Mr Johnson won a landslide general election victory in 2019 with an 80-seat majority in parliament.

That win was partly due to “red wall” voters, former Labour supporters who backed the Conservatives for the first time.

The seats being decided on Thursday are traditional Tory voters, not new voters from Labour’s heartland.

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Jetour T1 specs

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A Cat, A Man, and Two Women
Junichiro
Tamizaki
Translated by Paul McCarthy
Daunt Books 

Key facilities
  • Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
  • Premier League-standard football pitch
  • 400m Olympic running track
  • NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
  • 600-seat auditorium
  • Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
  • An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
  • Specialist robotics and science laboratories
  • AR and VR-enabled learning centres
  • Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
CHATGPT%20ENTERPRISE%20FEATURES
%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Enterprise-grade%20security%20and%20privacy%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Unlimited%20higher-speed%20GPT-4%20access%20with%20no%20caps%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Longer%20context%20windows%20for%20processing%20longer%20inputs%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Advanced%20data%20analysis%20capabilities%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Customisation%20options%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Shareable%20chat%20templates%20that%20companies%20can%20use%20to%20collaborate%20and%20build%20common%20workflows%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Analytics%20dashboard%20for%20usage%20insights%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Free%20credits%20to%20use%20OpenAI%20APIs%20to%20extend%20OpenAI%20into%20a%20fully-custom%20solution%20for%20enterprises%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Tips to stay safe during hot weather
  • Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
  • Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
  • Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
  • Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
  • Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
  • Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
  • Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
Which honey takes your fancy?

Al Ghaf Honey

The Al Ghaf tree is a local desert tree which bears the harsh summers with drought and high temperatures. From the rich flowers, bees that pollinate this tree can produce delicious red colour honey in June and July each year

Sidr Honey

The Sidr tree is an evergreen tree with long and strong forked branches. The blossom from this tree is called Yabyab, which provides rich food for bees to produce honey in October and November. This honey is the most expensive, but tastiest

Samar Honey

The Samar tree trunk, leaves and blossom contains Barm which is the secret of healing. You can enjoy the best types of honey from this tree every year in May and June. It is an historical witness to the life of the Emirati nation which represents the harsh desert and mountain environments

Conflict, drought, famine

Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.

Band Aid

Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.

THE CLOWN OF GAZA

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Starring: Alaa Meqdad

Rating: 4/5

Have you been targeted?

Tuan Phan of SimplyFI.org lists five signs you have been mis-sold to:

1. Your pension fund has been placed inside an offshore insurance wrapper with a hefty upfront commission.

2. The money has been transferred into a structured note. These products have high upfront, recurring commission and should never be in a pension account.

3. You have also been sold investment funds with an upfront initial charge of around 5 per cent. ETFs, for example, have no upfront charges.

4. The adviser charges a 1 per cent charge for managing your assets. They are being paid for doing nothing. They have already claimed massive amounts in hidden upfront commission.

5. Total annual management cost for your pension account is 2 per cent or more, including platform, underlying fund and advice charges.

How to wear a kandura

Dos

  • Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion 
  • Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
  • Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work 
  • Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester

Don’ts 

  • Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal 
  • Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
Labour dispute

The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.


- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law 

COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Electric scooters: some rules to remember
  • Riders must be 14-years-old or over
  • Wear a protective helmet
  • Park the electric scooter in designated parking lots (if any)
  • Do not leave electric scooter in locations that obstruct traffic or pedestrians
  • Solo riders only, no passengers allowed
  • Do not drive outside designated lanes
Company%20Profile
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What can victims do?

Always use only regulated platforms

Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion

Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)

Report to local authorities

Warn others to prevent further harm

Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence

While you're here
Updated: October 18, 2023, 10:31 PM`