Will there be a Tory backlash to boundary equalisation?

Coverage of the Democratic Audit report on constituency boundary equalisation yesterday focussed on how Lib Dems will be hit. Apart from a passing mention of Priti Patel, there was little on other Tory MPs who might suffer.

I haven’t had a chance to look at the complete data set but so far there seem to be a whole bunch of the new Tory intake that will be adversely affected.

Some are those who won constituencies formed at the last election like Pauline Latham in Mid Derbyshire. But others are MPs who fought hard battles to win key seats from Labour.

These include the likes of Anna Soubry in Broxtowe, Karen Bradley in Staffordshire Moorlands (pictured), Mark Spencer in Sherwood, Nigel Mills in Amber Valley, Nicky Morgan in Loughborough and Andrew Bridgen in North West Leicestershire.

If the review pans out in the way Democratic Audit suggests, all of these will either have their seat effectively scrapped or face a much tougher Labour challenge as a result.

“If” is the operative word of course, given the speculative nature of yesterday’s report. But I wonder if Cameron and co have factored any sort of backlash into their plans?

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.