I don't understand why he would ( until very recently) have had a strong sense of conviction. Many Labour supporters on here have described it as a safe labour seat and it is 85th on the liberals I think. If he feels he has served the area as a councillor I do not understand why he can't aspire to be the MP while accepting it ( until perhaps very recently ) was not very likely. To lose the MP election and then to be out of office as a councillor for the next four years if that's what he wants to be seems strange to me.