Here's the dilemma .........

Labour has no chance at the by-election: the Labour vote will fragment with Ian Gibson's cross-party personal vote reverting to type and even loyalists punishing the party for de-selecting him. So who will benefit from Labours meltdown?

Normally you'd put your money on the Tories with Norwich North now including some Broadland suburbs. Two glossy colour leaflets and a visit by Cameron within a week of Ian's resignation certainly points to their confidence.

But these aren't normal times - the glossy leaflets were actually one delivered twice and Cameron rather spoilt his appearance with a bizarre 'joke' in which he implied ID cards would mysteriously transform the Norfolk plod into Nazi's. Another possible handicap is the candidate, young Chloe, who was probably originally selected to contrast with Ian's more mature appearance. She seems to share the same shaky grasp of history that afflicts Cameron's Tory Party, although with the possible excuse that she was a baby during Thatchers worst excesses. At least her hair colour is more natural than the shallow chancellors'.

Here's the deal

Despite strong support from the local party and constituents a well respected MP (Ian Gibson) has been hauled before a small Labour Party committee and told he is not eligible to stand as a candidate for the Party.  Dazed and devastated he resigns immediately, triggering an as yet to be called by-election.

In the fevered political climate this means Norwich North will be saturated by candidates and their supporters, as well as by the media and commentators.  Over the next few weeks we will have a lot of people telling us what we think, and a lot more trying to divine what we will do on polling day.  

The first visits from Cameron have taken place, and the first leaflets with their predictably dubious stats have dropped through letter boxes.  As the canvassers and media trip ove themselves and a blizzard of paper descends on us, this blog intends to provide a citizen insiders commentary from inside the goldfish bowl.