Labour to widen campaign ‘hit list’ after stunning byelection successes

Farming areas and central Scottish belt could be added to party’s general election targets

Labour is to widen the number of parliamentary seats it will consider for inclusion on its key “target list” to take in more that have rural and farming areas, and more in the central belt of Scotland, following its recent byelection victories.

The move comes as party strategists analyse the extraordinary results last week in Mid Bedfordshire and Tamworth, both of which Labour took from the Tories by overturning huge majorities, and the Rutherglen and Hamilton West contest that it won earlier this month from the SNP.