Tamworth – the next by-election?
So far at least Mr. Pincher (which seems an unfortunate name given the circumstances) has not resigned as an MP and we await the inquiry into what actually happened that caused this whole affair to explode yesterday.
My sense is that Pincher is not going to be pushed into resignation as easy as one or two other Tory MPs recently. After all he was Deputy Chief Whip and should be in a better position to defend himself. He is said to have played a major part in ensuring that last month’s confidence move against Johnson did not succeed. He’ll know the ropes, and where the bodies are hidden. One assumes he has supportive senior colleagues within the party.
A lot might depend on what happens in his constituency, Tamworth in the Midlands, and how his local Conservative Association views the situation. A famous predecessor in the seat was Sir Robert Peel who was one of the founders of the modern Conservative party and the Metropolitan Police.