Just one council by-election this week and it was an awful result for the Conservatives. Defending a seat in rock solid Tory territory, the Conservative candidate finished a distant third behind an independent and Green - neither of whom had contested the seat previously.
The Conservatives had put up a decent campaign, supported by local MP Desmond Swayne. Turnout was an impressive 31 per cent for this time of year.
Bransgore & Burley, New Forest District Council
Ind: 617 (44.3%) New
Grn: 459 (33.0%) New
Con: 258 (18.5%) -53.7%
Lab: 59 (4.2%) -23.5%
Ind GAIN from Con
