Why the Southend West by-election is so unusual as voters asked to choose Sir David Amess successor

This isn't a normal by-election.

If it was, the eyes of the political world would be on Southend West this week - a safe Tory seat which might suddenly look vulnerable.

If the Tories can lose North Shropshire, they can lose Southend West.

But the other main parties aren't standing on Thursday, February 3, because the by-election was caused by the killing of an MP, Sir David Amess.

It wasn't always so - in 1990, following the murder of Ian Gow, all the parties stood in the Eastbourne by-election.

The result: a shock win for the Lib Dems which revived that party's fortunes and hastened the departure of a prime minister.

So Mr Johnson has reason to feel relieved that his party has been given a more-or-less clear run.

Smaller parties are standing in Southend, but the Tories should win very easily. There will be questions about the turnout.

It will probably be low.

Commentators will ask if it's lower than it would have been because many Tory voters have stayed at home as a protest about "partygate".

The truth is, we'll never know. What is certain is that this is a by-election being held in the shadow of a man who in Southend was a political giant.

Sir David Amess was the very best kind of constituency MP. Many of his voters absolutely loved him.

His successor will have huge shoes to fill.

The candidates standing for Southend West are:

• Christopher Anderson - Freedom Alliance

• Catherine Blaiklock - English Democrats

• Olga Childs - Independent

• Ben Downton - Heritage Party

• Anna Firth - Conservative Party

• Jayda Fransen - Independent

• Steve Laws - UKIP

• Graham Moore - English Constitution Party

• Jason Pilley - Psychedelic Movement