ELECTION fever heightened last night as the Conservatives confirmed they are ready to move the writ for the pending by election in Wirral South. Defeat there would finally take Mr Major's government into a minority at Westminster, and would be a massive spur to Labour on the heels of the general election itself.
Mr Tony Blair last night seized on the move to urge the people of the Wirral to give a lead to the rest of the country by voting Labour.
Labour had taunted the government over its reluctance to move the writ for the contest, caused by the death of the former MP, Mr Barry Porter. But in a surprise move yesterday Dr Brian Mawhinney, the Tory chairman, said the writ would be moved within the normal three month parliamentary convention.
The contest is now expected to take place next month, or in early March, just weeks ahead of the general election. Senior Conservative sources last night confirmed their belief that Mr Major intends to hang on if possible until May 1st.
But all bets would be off if, against the popular expectation, the Conservatives managed to hold the seat, where they are defending an 8,183 majority. However, they have failed to win a by election since the 1992 general election, and run the risk of a devastating blow just as they try to lift their party morale and machine for the final bid for a fifth term.