Commenting on the County and European election results in Staffordshire,
Michael Fabricant says: "These are extraordinary results. Politically,
Staffordshire has become the new Surrey. We are now the Conservative
heartland.

"The Conservatives control 79% of all County wards in Staffordshire, 70%
in Surrey. In the Euro Elections in Lichfield and Burntwood, the
Conservatives came top with almost four times as many votes as Labour
who came behind UKIP and the Liberal Democrats who won only marginally
more votes than the Labour Party. Even in Hednesford, previously a safe
Labour town, their candidate – who is replacing Tony Wright as the
Labour Parliamentary candidate at the next General Election – came a
poor third. She must now be wondering whether she can hold Cannock
Chase for Labour in the General Election when it is finally called.

"But Conservatives must not be complacent. If Gordon Brown survives, he
will call the election when it best suits him. But with Labour being at
their lowest point since 1918, his options are limited."

Michael adds: "Of course there are reasons why Surrey has fewer
councillors as a percentage of total council wards than Staffordshire.
The Conservatives are the incumbent party in control in Surrey and there
are pockets of support for Independent Ratepayers and
Liberal-Democrats."