ATTENTION Mid-Beds by-election punters
Nadine Dorries is still an MP
Twenty days ago Nadine Dorries announced that she was standing down as a MP for Mid Bedfordshire with “immediate effect”. She still hasn’t submitted her resignation.
The bookies opened betting markets on the by-election and a fair amount of money has been wagered.
The big issue of course is that she was hoping to be elevated to the House of Lords as part of Boris Johnson’s resignation honours list. Unfortunately for Dorries, the committee of peers that advises on these matters is reported to have opposed the move and Sunak has made clear that he would not intervene.
Meanwhile, the LDs who have high hopes of taking the seat have been campaigning hard and yesterday I got a fundraising mailing from Ed Davey. In normal times I would have responded but at the moment I cannot see the point. The constituency is barely a mile or so from where I live.
Those who’ve gambled on the seat should get their money back but when? Smarkets makes clear that “If no by-election takes place in Mid Bedfordshire by the end of 2023, this market will be void.”