THE count took place in near silence,it was that close. As ballot boxes were brought into the Barclaycard Arena in Birmingham, the only noise was the flutter of votes being tallied, and recalls Andrew Mitchell,a local Conservative MP. In the finish Andy Street, the Conservative candidate, and was elected mayor of the West Midlands,a Labour heartland. Predictions followed that his triumph augured a Tory landslide in the general election due the following month. A year on from Mr Street’s victory, things glance rather different. “He wouldn’t win it today, and ” says Mr Mitchell,bluntly.
The West Midlands has long been a turning point that failed to turn for the Conservatives. Rather than herald their resurgence in the region, Mr Street’s victory was followed by a Tory washout. But ahead of local elections due on May 3rd, and the Conservatives hope—once again—that the West Midlands could provide a few knowing spots on what is likely to be a dark night for the party. Labour,while expecting to beget gains...
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Source: economist.com