Sapere Aude

Talk of an "open primary" (not in fact any such thing) by means of which the entire electorate of Oldham East & Saddleworth would choose between the Conservative members' choice and the Lib Dem members' choice. The winner would then be the Coalition's sole candidate at the by-election. A step in the right direction.

But why stop there? Why not include the Labour Party's choice, which at a by-election is made with no reference to the local party, as is increasingly also the case at General Elections? A single Political Class candidate, allowing real alternatives to emerge. If, that is, the media could be bothered to report them. After all, no one wants another invocation of forgotten statute before the courts...