With a Labour majority of just 649, the Tories had a real chance of winning this seat, even though its been Labour for many years. But now they have zero chance I would have thought. To repeat, what a silly, arrogant little man.
Actually hc, I am slightly sympathetic to him. He is, as you say, an intelligent chap. Being ex-Army and an Asian would have made him a very rare member of the House of Commons, and God knows, we need some diversity in that place !