Gould pressured over Dagenham by-election

Bryan Gould, outgoing MP for Dagenham, was yesterday ready to bow to Labour Party pressure to bring forward the date of his constituency by- election, naming 9 June, the date of the European elections, as a 'conceivable date', writes Patricia Wynn Davies.

But the high command wants the Dagenham contest to coincide with the 5 May local elections and with two further by-elections in the adjoining constituencies of Barking and Newham North East.

It appears that 9 June is the likely date for the Rotherham by-election. There was speculation that the Tories could call the Eastleigh by-election as early as April, well in advance of the local and European elections in which the party is expected to fare badly.