By-election shocker as BBI throws in the towel ...

Boston Bypass Independents have thrown in the towel and decided not to field a candidate in the by-election for the county council seat of Boston North West.
When the nominations were announced yesterday, the candidates were:
Andrea Jenkyns, the previously successful Conservative candidate, who won on 4th June but was forced to resign on a technicality uncovered by Labour's prospective parliamentary candidate Paul Kenny ....
Pam Kenny, wife of Paul, and a previous contender ...
Richard Leggott, already an independent Boston borough councillor, who also fought the seat last time ...
David Owens, Boston borough councillor for Fenside, which shares much of the Boston North West footprint, who is the British National Party's new choice to fight the seat ...
and Mike Sheridan-Shinn, another new candidate, picked to fight the seat for the Liberal Democrats.
NOT STANDING this time .... are Paul Bakewell, who stood as an independent after a lifetime supporting Labour ...
and the BBI's Alison Austin, wife of the council leader, who came third at the June poll.
Mrs Austin's withdrawal from the by-election not only throws the whole thing wide open but is a clear acknowledgement after the BBI's pathetic showing at the county and borough by-elections in June that the party no longer has the popular support of the voters.
Such self-recognition as a lame duck party is bad news for voters when the BBI still has another 20 months in office.
Compared with last time there are now another 365 votes up for grabs - one for every day of the year.
And given the surprise second billing for the BNP last time around, there could be some shocks in store when the election is held on October 15th.
The full results for Boston North West on 4th June were:
Andrea Jenkyns - Conservative 463
Colin Westcott - British National Party 374
Alison Austin - Boston Bypass Independents 283
Richard Leggott - Independent 279
Pam Kenny - Labour 205
Paul Appleby - Liberal Democrat 130
Andrew Bakewell -Independent 82


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