Eric Pickles is never wrong. There are a number of council leaders floating around who have ignored his advice, to their peril.

Eric has always been the man behind the party scenes, who has now gone centre stage.

MC of our recent local elections victory, he zoomed straight up to Crewe and Nantwich and has been in charge of what is probably the best organised by-election campaign we have ever run.

He is one very busy man, who in the middle of it all, found the time yesterday to text me and ask me what time I needed him to be in Westminster for the 20 weeks vote.

I love Eric, and Mrs Pickles too, because behind every great man there is always a wonderful woman.

I am now off on a constituency engagement. Photos and post in a while and then off to Crewe and Nantwich.