COUNCIL BY-ELECTIONS 02.04.26

Thursday delivered a set of fascinating results, with four gains from four wards and some spectacular shifts in voting.  We predicted a mixed bag of results and called one out of four correctly, a step down from our 50 per cent success rate last week.

The free-for-all in Devon was particularly difficult to predict, with no independent candidates in a ward that overwhelmingly backed them last time round.  The Tories were the closest political party on that occasion, but were more than a thousand votes behind the winning candidate.  We thought they would triumph in this well-to-do rural ward, but they slumped to fourth as newcomers the Greens and Reform pushed past them.  However, it was the Lib Dems who stormed to victory, thanks to a huge surge that easily bested second placed Reform.  Labour finished last with just 12 votes.

It was a notional Conservative defence in Bury, with the incumbent having left the party last year following an acrimonious split in the local party.  We predicted a Tory hold, with Reform polling well and Labour slumping to at least third.  Labour did indeed find themselves in third, but it was Reform who triumphed, coming from nowhere to deny the Tories a comeback.

In Luton there was a very strong Lib Dem ward up for grabs.  Their biggest problem in defending the seat was the nature of the incumbent's departure - he was kicked off the council for not attending a single meeting in six months.  Despite this, we saw the Lib Dems holding off a challenge from the independent.  As it turned out, the independent trailed in a pitiful last place and it was Reform who were victorious.  Once again they stormed into first place as newcomers to the ward.

Finally, we get to the Labour defence in Rossendale, Lancashire.  This seat was vacated by an incumbent who upped sticks and left Labour Britain to set up home in Sicily.  Not exactly a ringing endorsement for Starmer and Reeves.  We predicted a Green gain, with Labour plummeting to at least third and Reform a strong second.  We were spot on with this forecast, as the Greens saw off newcomers Reform by 54 votes.

The Greens did not fare particularly well in the other three seats, with two third places and a fourth.  Reform, on the other hand, were top two finishes all round.  The May elections are now just five weeks away and it's going to be very, very interesting.

Tottington, Bury Metropolitan Borough Council

Ref: 929 (39.5%) New Con: 627 (26.7%) -19.1% Lab: 346 (14.7%) -14.5% Grn: 257 (10.9%) New Ind: 193 (8.2%) New

Ref GAIN from Con

Wigmore, Luton Borough Council

Ref: 576 (32.9%) New

LDm: 533 (30.4%) -24.2%

Grn: 344 (19.6%) +10.5%

Lab: 170 (9.7%) -0.3%

Con: 116 (6.6%) -4.4%

Ind: 13 (0.7%) New

Ref GAIN from LDm

Fremington, North Devon District Council

LDm: 752 (49.9%) +42.4%

Ref: 496 (32.9%) New

Grn: 131 (8.7%) New

Con: 116 (7.7%) -4.4%

Lab: 12 (0.8%) -7.8%

LDm GAIN from Ind

Hareholme & Waterfoot, Rossendale Borough Council

Grn: 636 (37.7%) +9.2% Ref: 582 (34.5%) New Lab: 324 (19.2%) -27.9% Con: 115 (6.8%) -17.6% LDm: 31 (1.8%) New

Grn GAIN from Lab

COUNCIL BY-ELECTIONS 11.09.25

Six by-elections were held on Thursday, half of which were Labour defences.  In a humiliating night, Labour lost all three to Reform in spectacular fashion.  Labour slipped to third in Bedfordshire, while they crashed to fourth in both Suffolk and Glamorgan.  Another gain for Reform bodes well for their Senedd hopes next year.

It was a mixed night for the Tories as they lost two seats - one to the Lib Dems and one to Reform - but picked up a gain from a residents' group in Cheshire.

Talbot & Branksome Woods, Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council

LDm: 910 (32.4%) -2.1%

Ref: 791 (28.2%) New

Con: 770 (27.4%) -4.9%

Lab: 170 (6.1%) -5.7%

Grn: 165 (5.9%) -6.6%

LDm GAIN from Con

Stotfold, Central Bedfordshire Council

Ref: 823 (30.8%) New

Con: 559 (20.9%) +1.3%

Lab: 532 (19.9%) -4.2%

Grn: 416 (15.6%) New

LDm: 339 (12.7%) +0.2%

Ref GAIN from Lab

Wilmslow Lacey Green, Cheshire East Council

Con:370 (29.8%) -8.4%

Lab: 300 (24.2%) New

Ref: 288 (23.2%) New

Ind: 215 (17.3%) -30.2%

Grn: 67 (5.4%) New

Con GAIN from Ind

Illtyd, Vale of Glamorgan Council

Ref: 729 (31.3%) New

Pld: 657 (28.2%) +10.1%

Con: 445 (19.1%) -10.2%

Lab: 414 (17.8%) -22.7%

Grn: 85 (3.6%) -8.6%

Ref GAIN from Lab

Pelsall, Walsall Council

Ref: 1,231 (45.0%) +31.3%

Con: 1,176 (43.1%) -24.1%

Grn: 127 (4.7%) New

Lab: 125 (4.6%) -14.5%

LDm: 72 (2.7%) New

Ref GAIN from Con

Newmarket East, West Suffolk Council

Ref: 343 (29.7%) New

Con: 288 (25.0%) +4.1%

LDm: 199 (17.2%) -3.1%

Lab: 176 (15.3%) -8.3%

Grn: 148 (12.8%) New

Ref GAIN from Lab

Abbreviations

LDm = Liberal Democrat

Ref = Reform UK

Con = Conservative

Lab = Labour

Grn = Green

Pld = Plaid Cymru

Ind = Independents and residents' groups

COUNCIL BY-ELECTION 04.09.25

Just one solitary by-election this week, a Lib Dem defence in Bedfordshire.  This should have been easy pickings for a party renowned for its persistent local campaign teams, but a mammoth swing to newcomers Reform decimated what had previously been a comfortable majority.  There was just 0.1 per cent between the drop in Lib Dem vote share and the Reform vote share.  Interesting...

Stopsley, Luton Borough Council

LDm: 935 (42.3%) -36.3%

Ref: 820 (36.2%) New

Lab: 251 (11.1%) -11.3%

Con: 152 (6.7%) New

Grn: 87 (3.8%) New

Ind: 19 (0.8%) New

LDm HOLD

COUNCIL BY-ELECTIONS 26.09.24

Rhyl Trellewelyn, Denbighshire County Council

Con: 188 (51.4%) +33.8%

Lab: 127 (34.7%) -5.5%

Plaid: 36 (8.7%) -3.9%

LDm: 19 (5.2%) New

Con GAIN from Lab

Stretton, East Staffordshire Borough Council

Con: 1,012 (70.8%) +25.3%

Lab: 304 (21.3%) -9.8%

Grn: 113 (7.9%) New

Con HOLD

Credenhill, Herefordshire Council

Ind: 201 (33.8%) New

Ind: 150 (25.3%) New

Con: 108 (18.2%) -20.5%

Ref: 89 (15.0%) New

LDm: 27 (4.5%) -12.7%

Lab: 19 (3.2%) New

Ind GAIN from Ind

Cromarty Firth, Highland Council (two seats)

(first preference votes)

LDm: 481 (20.3%) -7.6%

SNP: 403 (17.0%) -2.2%

Ind: 326 (13.7%) New

Ind: 323 (13.6%) New

Ind: 285 (12.0%) New

Ind: 162 (6.8%) New

Ind: 97 (4.1%) New

Grn: 89 (3.7%) +0.9%

Lab: 77 (3.2%) -0.9%

Con: 57 (2.4%) -4.3%

Ref (2): 52 & 23 (3.2%) New

LDm HOLD (elected at stage 11)

Ind GAIN from Ind (elected at stage 11)

Inverness Central, Highland Council

(first preference votes)

SNP: 551 (31.8%) -9.5%

Lab: 479 (27.7%) +3.6%

LDm: 286 (16.5%) +10.1%

Grn: 158 (9.1%) +1.7%

Con: 150 (8.7%) -4.1%

Ref:  (5.4%) New

Lab HOLD (elected at stage 6)

Barnfield, Luton Borough Council

LDm: 1,169 (63.5%) +11.4%

Lab: 321 (17.4%) 18.8%

Con: 209 (11.4%) -0.3%

Grn: 110 (6.0% New

Ind: 32 (1.7%) New

LDm HOLD

Wigmore, Luton Borough Council

LDm: 749 (54.6%) -28.2%

Ind: 209 (15.2%) New

Con: 151 (11.0%) New

Lab: 137 (10.0%) -7.1%

Grn: 125 (9.1%) New

LDm HOLD

Perth City North, Perth & Kinross Council

(first preference votes)

SNP: 917 (44.7%) +10.5%

Lab: 313 (15.3%) -0.1%

Con: 296 (14.4%) -5.1%

Ref: 209 (10.2%) New

Alb: 133 (6.5%) +4.3%

LDm: 95 (4.6%) +0.4%

Grn: 87 (4.2%) +0.8%

SNP GAIN from Lab (elected at stage 5)

Strathallan, Perth & Kinross Council

(first preference votes)

Con: 1,045 (32.1%) -14.6%

LDm: 978 (30.0%) +18.6%

SNP: 568 (17.4%) -17.5%

Lab: 366 (11.2%) New

Ref: 194 (6.0%) New

Grn: 107 (3.3%) -3.7%

LDm GAIN from Con (elected at stage 6)

Thurston, Mid Suffolk District Council (held on Tuesday)

Con: 579 (49.2%) +18.9%

Grn: 518 (44.0%) -10.6%

Lab: 79 (6.7%) -0.2%

Con GAIN from Grn

Godalming Binscombe and Charterhouse, Waverley Borough Council (held on Tuesday)

Con: 725 (40.6%) +19.7%

LDm: 714 (40.0%) +10.7%

Grn: 195 (10.9%) -16.3%

Lab: 151 (8.5%) -14.1%

Con GAIN from Lab

Abbreviations

Con = Conservative

Lab = Labour

Plaid = Plaid Cymru

LDm = Liberal Democrat

Grn = Green

Ref = Reform UK

SNP = Scottish National Party

Alb = Alba

Ind = Independents

POLICE & CRIME COMMISSIONERS 2024

The results of the police and crime commissioner elections will appear below as they come in.

Avon & Somerset

Clare Moody (Lab) 95,982 (32.3%) +8.6%

Mark Shelford (Con) 91,006 (30.6%) -4.1%

Katy Grant (Grn) 64,623 (21.7%) +5.3%

Benet Allen (LDem) 45,864 (15.4%) +2.0%

Lab GAIN from Con

Bedfordshire

John Tizard (Lab) 40,745 (40.5%) +5.5%

Festus Akinbusoye (Con) 35,688 (35.5%) -6.9%

Jasbir Singh Parmar (LDem) 15,857 (15.8%) -2.7%

Waheed Akbar (WkP) 8,396 (8.3%) New

Lab GAIN from Con

Cambridgeshire

Darryl Preston (Con) 61,688 (38.1%) -4.8%

Anna Smith (Lab) 58,304 (36.0%) +4.7%

Edna Murphy (LDem) 41,984 (25.9%) +3.6%

Con HOLD

Cheshire

Dan Price (Lab) 86,279 (48.1%) +10.8%

John Dwyer (Con) 65,836 (36.7%) -7.9%

Paul Duffy (LDem) 27,342 (15.2%) +0.7%

Lab GAIN from Con

Cleveland

Matt Storey (Lab) 65,418 (52.6%) +23.7%

Steve Turner (Con) 58,977 (47.4%) -6.8%

Lab GAIN from Con

Cumbria

David Allen (Lab) 38,708 (47.4%) +21.3%

Mike Johnson (Con) 24,863 (30.4%) -23.1%

Adrian Waite (LDem) 18,100 (22.2%) +1.8%

Lab GAIN from Con

Derbyshire

Nicolle Ndiweni (Lab) 93,260 (43.6%) +6.1%

Angelique Foster (Con) 65,293 (30.5%) -25.5%

Russell Armstrong (RefUK) 32,944 (15.4%) +11.6%

David Hancock (LDem) 22,540 (12.1%) +2.8%

Lab GAIN from Con

Devon & Cornwall

Alison Hernandez (Con) 131,764 (43.3%) -6.7%

Daniel Steel (Lab) 107,897 (35.4%) +15.2%

Steve Lodge (LDem) 64,790 (21.3%) +3.4%

Con HOLD

Dorset

David Sidwick (Con) 57,994 (38.2%) -4.3%

Howard Legg (LDem) 34,774 (22.9%) +11.1%

Marianne Storey (Ind) 32,237 (21.2%) New

David Stokes (Lab) 26,884 (17.7%) +6.8%

Con HOLD

Durham

Joy Allen (Lab) 66,852 (56.0%) +12.2%

Rob Potts (Con) 37,773 (31.7%) -11.3%

Nigel Boddy (LDem) 14,678 (12.3%) -0.9%

Lab HOLD

Dyfed-Powys

Dafydd Llywelyn (Plaid) 31,323 (40.9%) -7.3%

Ian Harrison (Con) 19,134 (25.0%) -9.0%

Philippa Thompson (Lab) 18,353 (24.0%) +0.3%

Justin Griffiths (LDem) 7,719 (10.1%) +1.4%

Plaid HOLD

Essex

Roger Hirst (Con) 126,447 (37.1%) -16.9%

Adam Fox (Lab) 116,875 (34.3%) +11.4%

Kieron Franks (LDem) 52,922 (15.5%) +2.2%

Robin Tilbrook (EDem) 34,153 (13.2%) +3.4%

Con HOLD

Gloucestershire

Chris Nelson (Con) 47,838 (32.7%) -8.0%

Martin Surl (LDem) 46,352 (31.7%) +12.7%

Ashley Smith (Lab) 35,069 (24.0%) +7.9%

Matthew Randolph (Ind) 15,240 (10.4%) +10.4%

Con HOLD

Gwent

Jane Mudd (Lab) 28,476 (41.7%) -0.1%

Hannah Jarvis (Con) 21,919 (32.1%) +3.2%

Donna Cushing (Plaid) 9,864 (14.4%) -1.8%

Mike Hamilton (LDem) 8,078 (11.8%) +7.6%

Lab HOLD

Hampshire & Isle of Wight

Donna Jones (Con) 175,953 (42.3%) -7.5%

Becky Williams (Lab) 106,141 (25.5%) +6.2%

Prad Bains (LDem) 92,843 (22.3%) +4.5%

Don Jerrard (JAC) 40,691 (9.8%) New

Con HOLD

Hertfordshire

Jonathan Ash-Edwards (Con) 93,658 (36.7%) -11.8%

Sean Prendergast (LDem) 68,264 (26.7%) -0.7%

Tom Plater (Lab) 66,585 (26.1%) +2.0%

Matt Fisher (Grn) 26,714 (10.5%) New

 

Con HOLD

Humberside

Jonathan Evison (Con) 51,083 (39.7%) -5.9%

Simon O'Rourke (Lab) 46,846 (36.4%) -3.0%

Bob Morgan (LDem) 30,834 (24.0%) +8.9%

Con HOLD

Kent

Matthew Scott (Con) 120,491 (44.1%) -13.7%

Lenny Rolles (Lab) 92,508 (33.9%) +8.6%

Graham Colley (LDem) 60,279 (22.1%) +5.1%

Con HOLD

Lancashire

Clive Grunshaw (Lab) 135,638 (47.1%) +2.3%

Andrew Snowden (Con) 101,281 (35.1%) -6.5%

Neil Darby (LDem) 51,252 (17.8%) +9.0%

Lab GAIN from Con

Leicestershire

Rupert Matthews (Con) 62,280 (35.3%) -14.0%

Rory Palmer (Lab) 61,420 (34.8%) +1.5%

Aasiya Bora (Grn) 23,649 (13.4%) New

Ian Sharpe (LDem) 22,041 (12.5%) -5.0%

Fizza Askari (OneL) 7,104 (4.0%) New

Con HOLD

Lincolnshire

Marc Jones (Con) 39,639 (36.5%) -23.2%

Mike Horder (Lab) 31,931 (29.5%) +9.5%

Peter Escreet (RefUK) 15,518 (14.3%) +10.8%

Lesley Rollings (LDem) 13,380 (12.4%) +6.4%

David Dickason (EDem) 7,739 (7.2%) New

Con HOLD

Merseyside

Emily Spurrell (Lab) 152,640 (61.7%) +4.9%

Bob Teesdale (Con) 35,221 (14.2%) -8.6%

Amanda Onwuemene (Grn) 31,330 (12.7%) +12.7%

Christopher Carubia (LDem) 28,093 (11.4%) -5.2%

Lab HOLD

Norfolk

Sarah Taylor (Lab) 52,445 (35.2%) +13.1%

Giles Orpen-Smellie (Con) 50,567 (33.9%) -11.2%

Martin Schmierer (Grn) 23,628 (15.8%) +5.6%

John Crofts (LDem) 22,525 (15.1%) +1.4%

Lab GAIN from Con

Northamptonshire

Danielle Stone (Lab) 43,684 (39.3%) +11.8%

Martyn Emberson (Con) 39,714 (35.7%) -17.5%

Ana Savage Gunn (LDem) 27,799 (25.0%) +9.7%

Lab GAIN from Con

Northumbria

Susan Dungworth (Lab) 176,311 (51.0%) +4.4%

Ros Munro (Con) 78,818 (22.8%) -8.1%

John Appleby (LDem) 58,574 (17.0%) +6.3%

Mustaque Rahman (Ind) 31,773 (9.2%) New

Lab HOLD

North Wales

Andy Dunbobbin (Lab) 31,950 (36.0%) +6.9%

Brian Jones (Con) 26,281 (29.6%) -2.0%

Ann Griffith (Plaid) 23,466 (26.4%) -2.0%

Richard Marbrow (LDem) 7,129 (8.0%) +3.7%

Lab HOLD

Nottinghamshire

Gary Godden (Lab) 119,355 (52.1%) +8.6%

Caroline Henry (Con) 77,148 (33.7%) -14.2%

David Watts (LDem) 32,410 (14.2%) +5.5%

Lab GAIN from Con

South Wales

Emma Wools (Lab) 73,128 (45.2%) +4.2%

George Carroll (Con) 43,344 (26.8%) +2.5%

Dennis Clarke (Plaid) 27,410 (16.9%) -2.1%

Sam Bennett (LDem) 17,908 (11.1%) +6.5%

Lab HOLD

Staffordshire

Ben Adams (Con) 73,500 (45.6%) -10.1%

Alastair Watson (Lab) 70,128 (43.5%) +16.0%

Alec Sandiford (LDem) 17,666 (11.0%) +6.6%

Con HOLD

Suffolk

Tim Passmore (Con) 52,968 (40.2%) -14.5%

Robin Wales (Lab) 41,734 (31.7%) +8.7%

Rachel Smith-Lyte (Grn) 22,488 (17.1%) +3.5%

James Sandbach (LDem) 14,541 (11.0%) -2.8%

Con HOLD

Surrey

Lisa Townsend (Con) 95,538 (36.0%) +2.5%

Paul Kennedy (LDem) 82,213 (30.9%) +10.2%

Kate Chinn (Lab) 42,813 (16.1%) +0.2%

Alex Coley (Ind) 42,052 (15.8%) New

Con HOLD

Sussex

Katy Bourne (Con) 122,495 (39.0%) -8.3%

Paul Richards 99,502 (31.7%) +13.0%

Jamie Bennett (LDem) 48,923 (15.6%) +1.7%

Jonathan Kent (Grn) 43,105 (13.7%) +0.3%

Con HOLD

Thames Valley

Matthew Barber (Con) 144,092 (32.1%) -10.4%

Tim Starkey (Lab) 141,749 (31.6%) +3.8%

Tim Bearder (LDem) 84,341 (18.8%) +1.3%

Ben Holden-Crowther (MPTV) 46,853 (10.4%) New

Russell Douglas Fowler (Ind) 31,460 (7.0%) New

Con HOLD

Warwickshire

Philip Seccomb (Con) 45,638 (39.4%) -12.7%

Labour Co-op Sarah Feeney (Lab) 45,377 (39.2%) +11.5%

Richard Dickson (LDem) 24,867 (21.5%) +5.3%

Con HOLD

West Mercia

John-Paul Campion (Con) 73,395 (34.3%) -21.0%

Richard Overton (Lab) 63,082 (29.5%) +5.5%

Sarah Murray (LDem) 33,782 (15.8%) +0.2%

Julian Dean (Grn) 22,021 (10.3%) New

Henry Curteis (EDem) 21,645 (10.1%) New

Con HOLD

West Midlands

Simon Foster (Lab) 327,844 (57.5%) +12.0%

Tom Byrne (Con) 241,827 (42.5%) +3.1%

Lab HOLD

Wiltshire

Philip Wilkinson (Con) 38,578 (31.0%) -5.0%

Stanka Adamcova (Lab) 36,345 (29.2%) +14.9%

Mike Rees (Ind) 29,035 (23.3%) -4.5%

Alan Hagger (LDem) 20,485 (16.5%) -3.3%

Con HOLD

HUGE SWING TO VICTORIOUS LABOUR

Labour have taken two safe Tory Westminster seats in a devastating night for Rishi Sunak.  The Conservatives were defending majorities of 24,664 in Mid Bedfordshire and 19,634 in Tamworth.  The swing to Labour in Nadine Dorries' old seat was 20.5 per cent, while in Tamworth it was 23.9 per cent.  Both constituencies will now be Labour marginals going into the general election, with majorities of 1,192 and 1,316.  Turnout was 44.1 per cent in Mid Beds and 35.9 per cent in Tamworth.

While it is fair to say that both by-elections were brought about by acrimonious circumstances caused by two MPs clinging to the gravy train for as long as possible, this can barely dampen a huge turnaround by Keir Starmer's candidates.

The long drawn out departure of Nadine Dorries would have frustrated many of her constituents, with claims that she was neglecting them while continuing to take home her Westminster salary.  Dorries had previously announced her 'immediate resignation' back in June, but subsequently changed her mind in a protracted attempt to receive a peerage pledged to her by Boris Johnson.  As pressure grew on Dorries to make good her resignation, 'missing' posters were put up across her constituency.  She eventually resigned at the end of August, but as the Commons was in summer recess the by-election was delayed still further.

The new MP for Mid Bedfordshire is Alistair Strathern, a university graduate and ex-teacher.  He was serving as a Labour councillor on Waltham Forest Council until last month, when he resigned ahead of a move back to his native Bedfordshire.  It is not clear if this was linked to his candidacy, seeing as his chances of victory were obviously slim.

In Tamworth the resignation of Chris Pincher was also a long time coming.  Allegations of sexual misconduct first emerged way back in June 2022 and would become the straw that broke Boris Johnson's back.  Pincher had been appointed deputy chief whip, despite prior knowledge of the alleged misdemeanors.  The revelation that Johnson had appointed him anyway led to the PM's downfall.

While Pincher resigned his whips' post in June 2022, following a 'drunken incident' in which he is alleged to have sexually assaulted two men, his resignation as Tamworth MP did not transpire for another 15 months and only came about when it was clear he would face a recall petition.  Pincher had been the MP since 2010.

Tamworth's new MP is Sarah Edwards, an art school graduate and Unite union official from Birmingham.  She defeated local councillor Andrew Cooper, an army veteran who was raised on a council estate.

Labour's double by-election gains follow on from their crushing defeat of the SNP in Rutherglen earlier this month.  There is little to suggest that the general election will go anything but Labour's way.  Mid Bedfordshire had been held by Conservative candidates since 1931.

Mid Bedfordshire Parliamentary By-Election

Alistair Strathern (Lab) 13,872 (34.1%) +12.4%

Festus Akinbusoye (Con) 12,680 (31.1%) -28.6%

Emma Holland-Lindsay (LDem) 9,420 (23.1%) +10.5%

Gareth Mackey (Ind) 1,865 (4.6%) New

Dave Holland (RefUK) 1,487 (3.7%) New

Cade Sibley (Grn) 732 (1.8%) -2.0%

Ann Kelly (Loon) 249 (0.6%) -0.2%

Antonio Vitiello (EngDem) 107 (0.3%) New

Sid Cordle (CPA) 101 (0.2%) New

Alan Victor (True) 93 (0.2%) New

Alberto Thomas (Herit) 63 (0.2%) New

Prince Ankit Love, Emperor of India (Ind) 27 (0.1%) New

Chris Rooney (Mstr) 24 (0.1%) New

Lab GAIN from Con

Tamworth Parliamentary By-Election

Sarah Edwards (Lab) 11,719 (45.7%) +22.0%

Andrew Cooper (Con) 10,403 (40.6%) -25.7%

Ian Cooper (RefUK) 1,373 (5.4%) New

Ashlea Simon (BritF) 580 (2.3%) New

Robert Bilcliff (UKIP) 436 (1.7%) -0.1%

Sue Howarth (Grn) 417 (1.6%) -0.4%

Sunny Virk (LDem) 417 (1.6%) -3.7%

Howling Laud Hope (Loon) 155 (0.6%) New

Peter Longman (Ind) 86 (0.3%) New

Lab GAIN from Con

The Tories did not fair any better in Thursday's council by-elections.  They lost all three seats they were defending - two to the Greens and one to the Lib Dems.  Again, these were huge swings away from the Conservatives.

Alveley & Claverley, Shropshire Council

LDem: 662 (58.8%) +36.6%

Con: 408 (36.3%) -33.1%

Lab: 55 (4.9%) New

LDem GAIN from Con

Horsleys, Surrey County Council

RGV: 1,095 (39.3%) -8.5%

LDem:: 1,023 (36.7%) +25.2%

Con: 569 (20.4%) -17.0%

Lab: 99 (3.6%) +0.3%

RGV HOLD

Warndon Parish, Worcestershire County Council

Grn: 1,139 (44.2%) +28.7%

Con: 623 (24.2%) -36.9%

LDem: 579 (22.5%) +16.3%

Lab: 239 (9.2%) -7.5%

Grn GAIN from Con

Warndon Parish South, Worcester City Council

Grn: 733 (53.7%) +36.2%

Con: 340 (24.9%) -28.4%

Lab: 171 (12.5%) -11.1%

LDem: 92 (6.7%) +1.2%

RefUK: 29 (2.1%) New

Grn GAIN from Con

Abbreviations

Lab = Labour

Con = Conservative

LDem = Liberal Democrats

RefUK = Reform UK

Grn = Green

Loon = Monster Raving Loony

EngDem = English Democrats

CPA = Christian People's Alliance

True = True & Fair

Herit = Heritage

Mstr = Mainstream

BritF = Britain First

UKIP = United Kingdom Independence Party

RGV = Residents for Guildford & Villages

Ind = Independents

COUNCIL BY-ELECTIONS 04.08.22

Just one by-election to report this week, an easy hold for Labour in Luton.  There was also a by-election in the Shetlands, but this was an all-independent contest.

Dallow, Luton Borough Council

Lab: 1,486 (53.6%) -12.9%,

LDem: 1,076 (38.8%) New

Con: 154 (5.6%) -7.6%

Ind: 58 (2.1%) -18.3%

Lab HOLD

COUNCIL BY-ELECTIONS 28.10.21

Eight by-elections this week - six Conservative defences, one Labour defence and an open contest following the death of a UKIP councillor in Carlisle.  The decline of UKIP was starkly evident in the latter, as they did not find a candidate to defend the seat.  Both Labour and the Tories benefited from their absence, but it was Labour who took the seat.

Labour held in Luton, where the Lib Dems surged into second place from nowhere.  That election also saw a rare outing for the Communist Party, but they finished last with just 28 votes.

Of the six Tory defences, they held five - including thumping victories in Bolton and Kinver, Staffordshire.  They held in the other South Staffs election despite a major new threat in the form of the Green Party.  They also held in Wrexham, although their majority was slashed here also.  In South Kesteven there were two seats on offer and the Tories held easily in Grantham Arnoldfield, but lost to an independent in Stamford All Saints.

Bromley Cross, Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council

Con: 1,732 (70.0%) +6.8%

Lab: 409 (16.5%) -5.6%

Grn: 165 (6.7%) -1.4%

BFC: 99 (4.0%) New

LDem: 68 (2.7%) -3.8%

Con HOLD

Currock & Upperby, Carlisle City Council

Lab: 636 (57.5%) +20.7%

Con: 412 (37.2%) +22.2%

Grn: 59 (5.3%) -6.3%

Lab GAIN from UKIP

South, Luton Borough Council

Lab: 547 (44.1%) +4.3%

LDem: 332 (26.8%) New

Con: 198 (16.0%) +0.1%

Ind: 134 (10.8%) -0.2%

CPB: 28 (2.3%) New

Lab HOLD

Grantham Arnoldfield, South Kesteven District Council

Con: 460 (65.0%) -8.9%

Lab: 136 (19.2%) -6.9%

Grn: 112 (15.8%) New

Con HOLD

Stamford All Saints, South Kesteven District Council

Ind: 496 (57.0%) New

Con: 214 (24.6%) -37.5%

Ind: 114 (13.1%) New

Ind: 46 (5.3%) New

Ind GAIN from Con

Kinver, South Staffordshire District Council

Con: 865 (74.1%) +29.3%

Grn: 154 (13.2%) -15.9%

Lab: 149 (12.8%) New

Con HOLD

Wombourne South East, South Staffordshire District Council

Con: 370 (50.3%) -22.7%

Grn: 323 (43.9%) New

Lab: 42 (5.7%) -21.3%

Con HOLD

Gresford East & West, Wrexham County Borough Council

Con: 351 (42.7%) -30.3%

LDem: 165 (20.1%) +10.1%

Plaid: 163 (19.8%) New

Lab: 132 (16.1%) -0.2%

RefUK: 6 (0.7%) New

Grn: 5 (0.6%) New

Con HOLD

Abbreviations

Con = Conservative

Lab = Labour

Grn = Green

LDem = Liberal Democrat

BFC = Bolton For Change

CPB = Communist Party of Britain

Plaid = Plaid Cymru

RefUK = Reform UK

Ind = Independents

SHUKER WILL BE "DESTROYED"

As if we didn't know it already, the far left loons have taken over the Labour asylum.  With the departure of several Blairite 'scabs' and 'traitors' their aggressive rhetoric has gone into overdrive.  Yesterday the BBC interviewed the chair of the Labour Party in Luton South, the constituency of one of the 'traitors' - Gavin Shuker.  According to Markus Keaney, who also calls himself a 'media spokesperson' on his Twitter page, Gavin will be "destroyed" (see video below).

“Those people who are proud to wear a red rosette… one of those will stand against Gavin (Shuker) locally and he will be utterly destroyed and resigned to the dustbin of history”

- Markus Keaney, Luton South Labour Party. Gavin Shuker MP now sits with the Independent Group pic.twitter.com/yPYIsLLUaV

— BBC Newsnight (@BBCNewsnight) February 22, 2019

The use of such language was not lost on Captain Underpants aka Chris Bryant MP, who retweeted the interview.  Bryant has already announced he is staying in the party, but he's clearly not impressed with the lunatics now running the show.