Two future Midlands ministers/shadow ministers...

Travelling around the Midlands I’ve had a chance to meet all manner of candidate – from the “we’re all doomed if he ever gets in” to the “why can’t they all be like that”.

I thought I’d note two that I’ve met who should be ones to watch after May 6. I imagine they might both walk into ministerial or shadow ministerial positions.

First up is Liz Kendall. She is replacing Patricia Hewitt in Leicester West and was also the former health secretary’s special advisor.

She was also a special advisor to Harriet Harman and an associate director at the Institute for Public Policy Research, a favourite Labour think tank.

Despite the stink made by her predecessor Kendall will probably win her seat comfortably, she is defending a majority of 9,070.

I met her for the first time yesterday at a rally where Ed Balls was speaking. She was confident, self assured and not afraid of the press. Why anyone would be I couldn’t say, but many are.

Then there is Karen Bradley who is standing for the Conservatives in Staffordshire Moorlands, she has a tougher fight on her hands to win her seat.

At the last election the constituency was won by Labour’s Charlotte Atkins, but due to boundary changes it is now considered a notional Tory seat.

Bradley was a big hitter for KPMG and worked directly under David Cameron when he was head of policy.

She has also worked for Michael Howard and with George Osborne on the party’s response to the budget and Finance Bill.

She knows her stuff economically and will not be far away from the Treasury team if she gets in.