by Kevin Meagher
If you think it’s cold wherever in the country you are reading this, just imagine how cold it is running a by-election campaign in Copeland in West Cumbria in the winter.
For those unfamiliar with the area, the answer is, of course, bloody cold. Not a place, certainly, to find yourself at this time of year, trudging the highways and byways, in the teeth of an icy Cumbrian gust.
Nevertheless, this is the lot of Andrew Gwynne for the foreseeable future.
The intrepid shadow minister without portfolio, has be despatched this week to run Labour’s by-election campaign to hold onto the seat Jamie Reed is set to vacate and stop the Tories overturning his slender 2,564 majority.
It’s a tough gig.
Lots of jobs reliant on Sellafield. And a suspicion, no doubt, that Labour is not particularly enamoured with the very industry that pays the wages of thousands of Copeland’s voters.
Joining Gwynne up there to kick start the campaign the other day was Shadow Health Secretary, Jonathan Ashworth.
He was visiting West Cumberland Hospital to campaign against the downgrading of its services, which will see consultant-led maternity services moved 40 miles up the road to Carlisle.
This was a smart spot. A solid, resonant local issue to base a campaign around that helpfully plays to Labour’s strongest card.
