Today’s Times reports that the Conservatives are reining back their efforts in many seats to focus on their core targets, as the likelihood of a landslide victory recedes.  It gives Cheadle as an example of a seat the Conservatives no longer think they can win.

Cheadle, currently held by Liberal Democrats with a majority of just under 4,000, is among seats no longer regarded as likely to fall despite a well-funded, two-year campaign to woo key groups of voters. Party strategists privately admit that some incumbent MPs, particularly Lib Dems, are putting up fiercer-than-expected resistance.

Might have something to do with Cheadle having a fantasically hard-working Lib Dem MP in Mark Hunter, who’s been doing a great job representing us in Parliament and helping thousands of local people.