COUNCIL BY-ELECTIONS 21.11.19

There were six by-elections last night - three in England, two in Scotland and one in Wales.  Labour contested four of these and once again their share of the vote was down in each.  They managed to hold a seat in Lancashire, despite plummeting 28 points thanks to the recently formed Skelmersdale Independent Party.  They lost a seat to the Conservatives in Cardiff thanks to a Tory swing.

The Tories had a stunning night all round, gaining three seats overall and holding another.  Their vote share was up in five out of the six seats.  As the weeks tick down to the big election, there is absolutely no sign of a Labour surge.

Torry/Ferryhill, Aberdeen City Council

SNP: 1,618 (43.2%) +11.8%
Con: 972 (26.0%) +2.1%
Lab: 395 (10.6%) -12.8%
Lib Dem: 315 (8.4%) +3.3%
Green: 304 (8.1%) +3.3%
Ind: 86 (2.3%) New
UKIP: 53 (1.4%) +0.5%

SNP HOLD

Llanishen, Cardiff City Council

Con: 1,566 (43.4%) +6.3%
Lab: 1,254 (34.7%) -1.2%
Lib Dem: 387 (10.7%) +3.1%
Plaid: 209 (5.8%) -2.7%
Green: 138 (3.8%) -3.0%
Ind: 59 (1.6%) New

Con GAIN from Lab

Loxwood, Chichester District Council

Con: 1,005 (61.8%) +17.4%
Lib Dem: 486 (29.9%) -25.7%
Green: 126 (7.7%) New
Patria: 9 (0.6%) New

Con GAIN from Lib Dem

Keith & Cullen, Moray Council

Con: 1,339 (41.5%) +7.1%
SNP: 1,184 (38.1%) -0.7%
Ind: 430 (12.7%) +3.3%
Lib Dem: 212 (7.7%) New

Con GAIN from Ind

Birch Green, West Lancashire Borough Council

Lab: 390 (60.8%) -28.0%
Skelm: 191 (29.8%) New
Con: 60 (9.4%) -1.8%

Lab HOLD

Bourne, West Sussex County Council

Con: 1,368 (48.9%) +8.7%
Lib Dem: 1,009 (36.0%) +16.5%
Green: 250 (8.9%) +2.0%
Lab: 161 (5.8%) -2.1%
Patria: 12 (0.4%) New

Con HOLD