Piara Khabra dies

[Verily]

RESPECT will be running a candidate in the by-election.

http://www.respectcoalition.org/?ite=1474

[Ben.]

Hmmm... Tories have selected an Asian candidate, not a massive surprise but a bit of a risk IMHO, Tony Lit (Managing Director of Sunrise Radio) - son of the candidate who challenged Khabra as an independent in 2001, his father certainly had some personal support, but it didn't translate into him comming anywhere close to beating Khabra, then again that was a general election and he was running as an independent... so in short an interesting choice.       

[Harry Hayfield]

Hmmm... Tories have selected an Asian candidate, not a massive surprise but a bit of a risk IMHO, Tony Lit (Managing Director of Sunrise Radio) - son of the candidate who challenged Khabra as an independent in 2001, his father certainly had some personal support, but it didn't translate into him comming anywhere close to beating Khabra, then again that was a general election and he was running as an independent... so in short an interesting choice.       

And look where that Independent vote split in 2005

Labour +1%, Lib Dem +14%, Con +3%, Green n/c

In other words an Lit candidacy could hurt the Lib Dems

[Ben.]

That and the Respect candidate could be just what the LibDems didnt want to hear, I'd still give the LibDems a decent shot at mounting an effective challenge in the by-election... but i do wonder if the approch that was so effective in Brent East, Leicester South and Hodge Hill will really be as useful in the present climate in this by-election, as i say this could get rather interesting  

[Verily]

A Lit candidacy could hurt the Lib Dems, but, if the Lib Dems run a white candidate, they might be able to squeeze the affluent white Tory vote down while the Tories peel off Asian voters from Labour. IMO, that's really where the Lib Dems should be focusing their attention, on courting the Tory voters in the constituency, because it's unlikely that they'll be able to make serious inroads into the Asian vote (yet the white vote does make up enough to win).

It's also a good idea because, no matter whether the Lib Dems win the seat or not, they'll only be able to hold next time if their candidate runs in the new Ealing Centre and Acton seat, which will only contain the affluent white parts of this seat.