Karen said, "This was a great day for us in Redditch. Last year we took control of the council and on Friday we took a clean sweep of candidates in the County elections. we ran a good campaign but a very difficult one as quite rightly there was a lot of anger on the doorsteps.

The next election we are waiting for is of course the General Election and the people of Redditch were asking us on the doorstep when that would be.

It is time for Gordon Brown to stop dithering and give the people of this country what they are asking for and put his leadership to the test in the country."

With County Councillors Gay Hopkins, Brandon Clayton, Philip Gretton, Barry Gandy, David Thain, Jane Potter and Juliet Brunner. (Terry Spencer was unavailable.)

Theresa May was in Redditch last week to campaign with County Council candidates in advance of the elections on Thursday. She was out and about in Matchborough knocking doors and chatting to local residents.


With Barry Gandy, Juliet Brunner,Theresa May and Brandon Clayton

Karen welcomed Timothy Kirkhope, Leader of the Conservatives in the European Parliament to Redditch on Monday together with Philip Bradbourne and Michael Burnet, candidates in the West Midlands.

"It was good to see Timothy again" said Karen. "It is always good for politicians to get out and about and listen to the concerns of the electorate."

Karen Lumley has one of the most important jobs in British politics... ousting Jacqui Smith as MP for Redditch.  Here's her diary.

Michael Crick of BBC Newsnight came to Redditch in the wake of damaging headlines for the current MP Jacqui Smith, the Home Secretary.

Redditch is the most marginal seat held by any Cabinet minister. "If she keeps her current job," Crick said, "Redditch would become the biggest battleground at a General Election."

Crick declared that Ms Smith's "reputation had taken a huge battering over her expenses" and there was now "an image of a Home Secretary whose authority is ebbing away".

Karen Lumley, Conservative candidate, and described by Crick as "surfing the local anger" was interviewed as she visited the local market and was forthright in her views of the situation. "A lot of people (in Redditch) are concerned they are losing their jobs," said Karen.

Crick found "Smith's expenses the issued raised most often in the local market" before declaring that as reshuffle season approaches she "may find the crunch comes in June".