I think we both agree the Tories will probably win just because of how safe a seat it is.

But let's imagine Labour won. The effect on Johnson's majority is marginal. There have been no votes this session where a change of one 'yes' to a 'no' would have mattered.

I would say it is more beneficial to Labour and the country as a whole to use the bye-election to keep the focus on sleaze for the period of the bye-election, or at least to revive it the day or two before.

All other candidates will have to explain Labour policy, or Lib Dem, or Green or whatever. An anti-sleaze candidate can keep the focus on that.