COUNCIL BY-ELECTION 04.06.26

It's the second week of solitary by-elections, but don't worry - June is going to be very busy, with more than 40 seats up for grabs later this month, plus three Westminster by-elections.

Technically, there were two by-elections this week, but the other one was a non-partisan affair for the distinctive City of London Corporation.  This uppity local authority doesn't even call itself a council and refers to its elected members as 'aldermen' instead of councillors.  The most interesting thing about this by-election was that among the field of eight independents, there was a chap called Ronnie Barker!  We'll skip over this contest, as it is of little interest to anybody beyond the snooty realms of central London.

The main action took place in Cumbria...

 

Hawcoat & Newbarns, Westmorland and Furness Council

Ref: 1,139 (48.4%) New

Lab: 576 (24.5%) -9.8%

Con: 447 (19.0%) -21.5%

Grn: 121 (5.1%) New

LDm: 69 (2.9%) -2.7%

Ref GAIN from Con

A stunning gain for Reform, taking the seat at the first time of asking.  The party appeared to take full advantage of the absence of an independent this time around, also taking a big swing from the Tories and a smaller swing from Labour.  They finished with almost twice the amount of votes amassed by second placed Labour, as the Tories slumped to third.  The vacancy had arisen through the relocation of the incumbent overseas for work.

Karl - Ref GAIN ✔

Rich - Lab GAIN ✘

Karl now leads Richey 3-1 after week three

COUNCIL BY-ELECTIONS 12.03.26

Five seats were contested on Thursday, with this week's round being very much about the Lib Dems.  The party were defending three seats, all of which became vacant after the incumbents resigned.  Despite the resignations, we predicted three holds for the party.  Well, two out of three's not bad as the song goes.

The Lib Dems held in Cumbria and the Cotswolds, the latter featuring a particularly humiliating result for Labour who finished last with just seven votes.  Their third seat went to the Greens, who surged to victory in a middle class Liverpool suburb.  However, it was a mixed week for the new insurgents on the left.  

The swanky surroundings of Abingdon in Oxfordshire was the scene of another battle between the Lib Dems and Greens.  The Greens had won this seat previously when two seats were up for grabs, with the Lib Dems narrowly topping the poll.  The Greens would have fancied this one with all the media hype surrounding them.  However, as we predicted, the Lib Dems took the seat.  The Greens did not compete much beyond the two woke middle class seats, with finishes of 4/5, 4/7 and 3/4.

Finally, a local independent group slipped to defeat in Lincolnshire, a Reform gain as we predicted.  

Following last week's atrocious round of predictions - one out of five - we have returned to form this week with a more respectable four out of five.  Trumpet blown!

The Beeches, Cotswold District Council

LDm: 390 (52.7%) -3.0%

Ref: 168 (22.7%) New

Con: 122 (16.5%) -17.9%

Grn: 53 (7.2%) -3.0%

Lab: 7 (0.9%) New

LDm HOLD

Aigburth, Liverpool City Council

Grn: 782 (45.0%) +31.1%

LDm: 637 (36.7%) -13.6%

Lab: 177 (10.2%) -21.7%

Ref: 121 (7.0%) New

Ind: 12 (0.7%) New

Con: 8 (0.5%) -1.8%

Grn GAIN from LDm

Sleaford Westholme, North Kesteven District Council

Ref: 243 (45.1%) New

Ind: 87 (16.1%) -13.4%

Con: 81 (15.0%) New

Grn: 55 (10.2%) New

Ind: 49 (9.1%) -20.2%

Ind: 12 (2.2%) New

LDm: 12 (2.2%) New

Ref GAIN from Ind

Abingdon Abbey Northcourt, Vale of White Horse District Council

LDm: 647 (43.7%) +3.3%

Grn: 480 (32.5%) -2.1%

Ref: 204 (13.8%) New

Con: 101 (6.8%) -7.3%

Lab: 47 (3.2%) -7.7%

LDm GAIN from Grn

Penrith South, Westmorland and Furness Council

LDm: 749 (43.1%) -1.5%

Ref: 588 (33.9%) New

Grn: 225 (13.0%) +2.6%

Con: 174 (10.0%) -15.5%

LDm HOLD

COUNCIL BY-ELECTIONS 27.02.25

This week was very much an East Anglian affair, with three of the five contests taking place in Norfolk and Suffolk.  These are the kind of places that Reform UK are looking to do well and they did score a very impressive gain in Norfolk, securing over half of the vote at the first time of asking.  They appear to have picked votes up from both Tories and Labour in Breckland.

Reform were debutants in both Suffolk seats and Westminster also, finishing third in all three.  The Westminster contest was a technical Tory gain, with Labour having previously finished second to take one of the two seats available.

Once again, the Labour vote was down in all four of the seats it contested.

Bedingfeld, Breckland District Council

Ref: 414 (54.3%) New

Con: 209 (27.4%) -25.2%

Lab: 99 (13.0%) -14.1%

Grn: 41 (5.4%) New

Ref GAIN from Con

Rushmere St Andrews, East Suffolk District Council

Con: 377 (29.8%) -17.0%

Grn: 373 (29.5%) +8.9%

Ref: 347 (27.5%) New

Lab: 166 (13.1%) -19.4%

Con HOLD

Woodbridge, East Suffolk District Council

LDm: 1,023 (53.6%) +25.5%

Con: 391 (20.5%) +1.0%

Ref: 274 (14.4%) New

Lab: 219 (11.5%) -8.5%

LDm HOLD

Vincent Square, Westminster City Council

Con: 978 (45.4%) +0.5%

Lab: 700 (32.5%) -10.6%

Ref: 206 (9.6%) New

LDm: 156 (7.2%) -4.8%

Grn: 101 (4.7%) New

CPA: 14 (0.6%) New

Con GAIN from Lab

Eamont & Shap, Westmorland and Furness Council

LDm: 789 (67.2%) +1.5%

Con: 241 (20.5%) -13.8%

Ind: 76 (6.5%) New

Grn: 68 (5.8%) New

LDm HOLD

Abbreviations

Ref = Reform UK

Con = Conservative

Lab = Labour

Grn = Green

LDm = Liberal Democrat

CPA = Christian Peoples Alliance

Ind = Independents and local groups

COUNCIL BY-ELECTIONS 31.10.24

Seven contests this week and just two Labour defences.  They held with a reduced majority in the deepest of red territory - Salford - but lost spectacularly to newcomers Reform in Wolverhampton.  Labour's vote share was down in all six of the seats the party contested, including almost 40 percentage points in that aforementioned Wolverhampton seat.

Sileby & Seagrove, Charnwood Borough Council

Grn: 752 (52.9%) +0.1%

Ref: 297 (20.9%) New

Con: 262 (18.4%) -8.2%

Lab: 70 (4.9%) -12.0%

LDm: 40 (2.8%) -0.8%

Grn HOLD

Bishops Waltham, Hampshire County Council

LDm: 2,210 (52.2%) +28.6%

Con: 1,431 (33.8%) -23.1%

Grn: 477 (11.3%) -2.0%

Lab: 115 (2.7%) -2.6%

LDm GAIN from Con

North Middleton, Rochdale Metropolitan Borough Council

Ind: 812 (51.7%) +8.3%

Lab: 572 (36.4%) -11.9%

Con: 108 (6.9%) +0.3%

LDm: 80 (5.1%) +3.4%

Ind HOLD

Eccles, Salford City Council

Lab: 951 (51.2%) -11.8%

Con: 426 (23.0%) +6.2%

Grn: 261 (14.1%) -0.2%

LDm: 142 (7.6%) New

TUS: 61 (4.1%) -1.8%

Lab HOLD

Bramhall South & Woodford, Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council

Con: 1,909 (47.9%) +4.6%

LDm: 1,733 (43.5%) -1.4%

Ref: 133 (3.3%) New

Lab: 115 (2.9%) -4.2%

Grn: 95 (2.4%) 2.3%

Con GAIN from LDm

Kirkby Stephen & Tebay, Westmorland and Furness Council

LDm: 887 (82.7%) +39.1%

Con: 186 (17.3%) -24.8%

LDm GAIN from Con

Bilston North, Wolverhampton City Council

Ref: 652 (34.8%) New

Lab: 471 (25.1%) -39.9%

Grn: 438 (23.4%) New

Con: 257 (13.7%) -14.3%

LDm: 55 (2.9%) -4.1%

Ref GAIN from Lab

Abbreviations

Grn = Green

Ref = Reform UK

Con = Conservative

Lab = Labour

LDm = Liberal Democrat

TUS = Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition

Ind = Independents and local groups

COUNCIL BY-ELECTIONS 17.10.24

16 seats available this week, with Labour defending seven of them.  They lost four - three to the Conservatives and one to the Greens.

Labour held a seat in Bexley, London, despite a significant swing to newcomers Reform.  They held a seat in Cumberland, despite a big swing to the Conservatives.  They narrowly hung on in Falkirk, despite the SNP gaining more first preference votes and they clung on by just four votes in North Hertfordshire!

All in all, the Labour vote share was down in 11 of the 14 seats the party contested.

Aylesford & East Stour, Ashford Borough Council

Grn: 299 (31.6%) +2.8%

Lab: 293 (31.0%) -1.2%

Ref: 216 (22.9%) New

Con: 111 (11.7%) -2.2%

LDm: 26 (2.8%) New

Grn GAIN from Lab

Belvedere, Bexley London Borough Council

Lab: 862 (38.5%) -14.4%

Con: 713 (31.9%) -1.4%

Ref: 378 (16.9%) New

Grn: 157 (7.0%) -6.8%

LDm: 127 (5.7%) New

Lab HOLD

Tirymynach, Ceredigion County Council

LDm: 285 (48.9%) 

Plaid: 242 (41.5%) 

Ref: 25 (4.3%) 

Con: 17 (2.9%) 

Lab: 8 (1.4%) 

Grn: 6 (1.0%) 

LDm HOLD (previously elected unopposed)

Keswick, Cumberland Council

Lab: 513 (50.7%) -17.1%

Con: 384 (38.0%) +22.0%

Grn: 85 (8.4%) New

LDm: 29 (2.9%) New

Lab HOLD

Wetheral, Cumberland Council

Con: 665 (51.6%) -1.7%

LDm: 463 (35.9%) +16.9%

Lab: 160 (12.4%) -15.2%

Con HOLD

Llanberis, Cyngor Gwynedd (Gwynedd Council)

Plaid: 254 (60.9%) +1.7%

Grn: 422 (36.7%) New

LDm: 9 (1.3%) New

Ind: 8 (1.2%) New

Plaid HOLD

Falkirk South, Falkirk Council

(first preference votes)

SNP: 1,043 (31.3%) -10.3%

Lab: 1,014 (30.5%) +8.1%

Con: 448 (14.7%) -13.9%

Ref: 330 (9.9%) New

Ind: 184 (5.5%) New

Grn: 151 (4.5%) -1.1%

LDm: 119 (3.6%) New

Lab HOLD (elected at stage 7)

Eltham Town & Avery Hill, Greenwich London Borough Council

Con: 1,522 (48.8%) +11.8%

Lab: 981 (31.5%) -8.9%

Ref: 290 (9.3%) +5.9%

LDm: 132 (4.2%) -2.9%

Grn: 123 (3.9%) -8.1%

Ind: 70 (2.2%) New

Con GAIN from Lab

Holme Valley South, Kirklees Metropolitan Borough Council

Con: 1,639 (39.1%) -2.2%

Lab: 1,134 (27.0%) -18.3%

Grn: 734 (17.5%) +8.0%

Ref: 511 (12.2%) New

LDm: 158 (3.8%) -0.1%

Ind: 17 (0.4%) New

Con GAIN from Lab

Royston Palace, North Herts Council

Lab: 302 (25.9%) -12.4%

LDm: 498 (25.6%) +1.7%

Con: 280 (24.1%) -0.8%

Ref: 196 (16.8%) New

Grn: 88 (7.6%) New

Lab HOLD

Harpenden North & Rural, St Albans City and District Council

Con: 661 (49.3%) +18.7%

LDm: 546 (40.7%) -13.0%

Grn: 82 (6.1%) -0.9%

Lab: 51 (3.8%) -4.8%

Con GAIN from LDm

Bredbury Green & Romiley, Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council

LDm: 1,056 (65.8%) +7.1%

Con: 552 (24.1%) +5.5%

Lab: 127 (5.5%) -11.4%

Grn: 104 (4.5%) -1.2%

LDm HOLD

Cheadle West & Gatley, Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council

LDm: 1,159 (45.1%) -12.0%

Con: 553 (21.5%) +7.3%

Lab: 517 (20.1%) +0.5%

Grn: 341 (13.3%) +4.2%

LDm HOLD

Rodbourne Cheney, Swindon Borough Council

Con: 991 (48.8%) +15.9%

Lab: 694 (34.2%) -19.6%

Grn: 173 (8.0%) -0.7%

Ind: 100 (4.9%) New

LDm: 82 (4.0%) -0.4%

Con GAIN from Lab

Grange & Cartmel, Westmorland and Furness Council

LDm: 2,180 (84.8%) +7.6%

Con: 392 (15.2%) -3.5%

LDm HOLD

Ascot & Sunninghill, Windsor and Maidenhead Borough Council

Con: 1,264 (58.5%) +18.4%

LDm: 703 (32.6%) +1.3%

Ind: 118 (5.5%) New

Lab: 74 (3.4%) -11.6%

Con HOLD

Abbreviations

Grn = Green

Lab = Labour

Ref = Reform UK

Con = Conservative

LDm = Liberal Democrat

Plaid = Plaid Cymru

SNP = Scottish National Party

Ind = Independents

COUNCIL BY-ELECTIONS 17.02.22

Nine seats up for grabs this week - two Conservative defences, one defence each for Labour, the Lib Dems and the Greens, plus four open contests triggered by independents.  

Overall the Tories are up two seats, Labour up one, while the Lib Dems and the Greens broke even.  The Tories took two of the independent seats, Labour took a third.  The Tories lost a seat to an impressive Lib Dem surge in Northamptonshire, but gained a seat from the Lib Dems with a stunning victory of their own in Leicestershire (Oadby and Wigston).

The Green Party did not contest Stainburn and Clifton this time round.  UKIP were absent from Park.  Labour stood down in Wigston Meadowcourt, presumably to give the Lib Dems a free run.  This backfired and the Tories took the seat, despite the Labour absence.

Stainburn & Clifton, Allerdale Borough Council

Lab: 354 (54.6%) +25.1%

Con: 294 (45.4%) +28.2%

Lab GAIN from Ind

Southmead, Bristol City Council

Lab: 780 (41.2%) -1.9%

Grn: 729 (38.5%) +19.7%

Con: 279 (14.8%) -13.4%

LDem: 82 (4.3%) -5.7%

TUSC: 22 (1.2%) New

Lab HOLD

Thurston, Mid Suffolk District Council

Grn: 845 (64.4%) +25.2%

Con: 399 (30.4%) -3.5%

LDem: 37 (2.8%) -8.2%

Lab: 32 (2.4%) -4.8%

Grn HOLD

Collingham, Newark & Sherwood District Council

Con: 982 (56.3%) +26.5%

LDem: 594 (34.1%) +18.8%

Lab: 168 (9.6%) New

Con GAIN from Ind

Park, North East Lincolnshire Council

Con: 715 (38.8%) +1.8%

Lab: 578 (31.4%) +13.8%

LDem: 478 (26.0%) -2.0%

TUSC: 70 (3.8%) New

Con HOLD

Oundle, North Northamptonshire Council

LDem: 1,683 (47.2%) +22.6%

Con: 1,423 (39.9%) -3.5%

Lab: 337 (9.4%) -4.9%

Grn: 124 (3.5%) -9.8%

LDem GAIN from Con

Collingham Nottinghamshire County Council

Ind: 2,009 (63.8%) New

Con: 898 (28.5%) -11.7%

Lab: 224 (7.7%) New

Ind GAIN from Ind

Wigston Meadowcourt, Oadby and Wigston Borough Council

Con: 833 (63.4%) +29.3%

LDem: 377 (27.1%) -24.6%

Grn: 133 (9.5%) New

Con GAIN from LDem

Tavistock North, West Devon Borough Council

Con: 379 (39.3%) +24.4%

LDem: 337 (35.0%) +16.3%

Grn: 163 (16.9%) New

Lab: 85 (8.8%) -9.3%

Con GAIN from Ind

Abbreviations

Lab = Labour

Con = Conservative

Grn = Green

LDem = Liberal Democrats

TUSC = Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition

Ind = Independents

COUNCIL BY-ELECTIONS 25.11.21

It was a busy day for by-elections in England this week with twelve in total, plus an election for the North Yorkshire police and crime commissioner.  The North Yorks PCC vacancy came about after the Tory incumbent resigned following an outcry over remarks he made about the Sarah Everard case.  The Conservatives eased to victory in the contest to replace him, albeit on a disgracefully low turnout of just 13.9 per cent.  The Tory candidate trounced Labour in the run-off, the result of which was almost identical to May's result.

Labour were defending six seats on Thursday and they held four - including a paper thin victory in Wandsworth where they clung on by just one vote.  Earlier this year Labour had a 936 vote majority in that same seat.  The Labour vote also collapsed in two Midlands seats where they lost to the  Conservatives in Newcastle-under-Lyme and Nuneaton.  However, the two Labour losses were compensated for by two Labour gains, both from independents in Allerdale and Wigan.

The Conservatives were defending three seats on Thursday and held two.  In Kent they lost a seat to the Tunbridge Wells Alliance, but this was more than compensated by the two Midland gains over Labour.

The Lib Dems were defending one seat, in the Wirral, which they held easily.

The Lib Dems and Greens did not contest Speldhurst and Bidborough this time.  UKIP did not contest Oxton.

Maryport South, Allerdale Borough Council

Lab: 273 (52.9%) +10.2%

Ind: 149 (28.9%) -10.5%

Con: 94 (18.2%) +11.4%

Lab GAIN from Ind

Lee Chapel North, Basildon Borough Council

Lab: 451 (39.8%) -12.8%

Con: 396 (34.8%) +8.4%

BCRP: 135 (11.9%) New

RefUK: 98 (8.6%) New

LDem: 55 (4.9%) -16.2%

Lab HOLD

Halton Castle, Halton Borough Council

Lab: 373 (60.3%) +9.7%

Grn: 117 (19.0%) New

Ind: 69 (11.1%) -8.0%

Con: 45 (7.3%) -11.3%

LDem: 15 (2.4%) -9.3%

Lab HOLD

Raskelf & White Horse, Hambleton District Council

Con: 288 (55.7%) -2.9%

LDem: 127 (24.6%) New

Grn: 102 (19.7%) -21.7%

Con HOLD

Carnforth & Millhead, Lancaster City Council

Lab: 538 (57.7%) +20.2%

Con: 315 (33.8%) +1.8%

Grn: 54 (5.8%) -5.2%

LDem: 25 (2.7%) New

Lab HOLD

Knutton, Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council

Con: 188 (51.1%) +25.8%

Lab: 180 (48.9%) -25.8%

Con GAIN from Lab

Barpool, Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council

Con: 508 (55.3%) +14.4%

Lab: 215 (23.4%) -26.7%

Grn: 196 (21.3%) +12.2%

Con GAIN from Lab

Speldhurst & Bidborough, Tunbridge Wells Borough Council

TWA: 788 (49.8%) +27.4%

Con: 730 (46.1%) +4.2%

Lab: 65 (4.1%) -4.0%

TWA GAIN from Con

Bedford, Wandsworth London Borough Council

Lab: 906 (40.2%) -9.8%

Con: 905 (40.2%) +5.7%

Grn: 306 (13.6%) +4.3%

LDem: 135 (6.0%) -0.2%

Lab HOLD

Horringer, West Suffolk Council

Con: 257 (47.7%) -21.2%

Lab: 204 (37.8%) +6.7%

LDem: 78 (14.5%) New

Con HOLD

Bryn, Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council

Lab: 429 (31.2%) +8.2%

Ind: 412 (30.0%) New

Ind: 353 (25.7%) New

Con: 142 (10.3%) +2.1%

LDem: 38 (2.8%) +1.1%

Lab GAIN from Ind

Oxton, Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council

LDem: 1,666 (68.3%) +8.4%

Lab: 460 (18.8%) -10.7%

Con: 168 (6.9%) +1.9%

Grn: 147 (6.0%) New

LDem HOLD

North Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner

(First preference votes)

Con: 34,385 (40.1%) -6.9%

Lab: 18,094 (21.1%) -5.0%

Ind: 14,988 (17.5%) New

LDem: 9,499 (11.1%) -1.5%

WEP: 8,837 (10.3%) New

Final Round

Con: 60.8%

Lab: 39.2%

Con HOLD

Abbreviations

Lab = Labour

Con = Conservative

BCRP = Basildon Community Residents Party

RefUK = Reform UK

LDem = Liberal Democrat

Grn = Green

TWA = Tunbridge Wells Alliance

WEP = Women's Equality Party

Ind = Independents

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

COUNCIL BY-ELECTIONS 30.09.21

There have been eight council by-elections this week, including a couple that were held on Tuesday in Norfolk.  Three seats were up for grabs on Broadland Council, all of which were Conservative defences.  In Brundall ward the Tories were humiliated by the Green Party who took both seats there.  They held their other seat.

Brundall, Broadland District Council (two seats)

Grn: 594 - ELECTED

Grn: 530 - ELECTED

Con: 480

Con: 453

LDem: 425

LDem: 303

Lab: 161

Lab: 137

Grn GAIN (two) from Con

Old Catton & Sprowston West, Broadland District Council

Con: 721 (50.0%) +3.5%

Lab: 332 (23.0%) +4.8%

LDem: 278 (19.3%) -0.4%

Grn: 110 (7.6%) -8.0%

Con HOLD

In Thursday's action the Tories were again defending three seats and lost two of them - another to the Greens and one to the Lib Dems.  They held off a strong independent challenge in Staffordshire and gained an independent seat in Suffolk, so it was a mixed week of results in all.

Elswhere the Lib Dems and Labour held seats they were defending in Kent and Sunderland.

Horndean Downs, East Hampshire District Council

Grn: 320 (49.2%) +33.3%

Con: 291 (44.7%) -8.0%

Ind: 40 (6.1%) -12.6%

Grn GAIN from Con

Tutbury & Outwoods, East Staffordshire Borough Council

Con: 549 (44.3%) -13.4%

Ind: 464 (37.5%) New

Lab: 186 (15.0%) -27.2%

Grn: 39 (3.2%) New

Con HOLD

Penrith West, Eden District Council

LDem: 173 (43.5%) +2.8%

Con: 87 (21.9%) -1.0%

Ind: 51 (12.8%) New

Lab: 41 (10.1%) -12.1%

PCF: 28 (7.0%) New

Grn: 19 (4.8%) New

LDem GAIN from Con

Hetton, Sunderland City Council

Lab: 661 (31.6%) -1.7%

LDem: 634 (30.3%) New

Ind: 386 (18.5%) -3.1%

Con: 303 (14.5%) +8.8%

Ind:67 (3.2%) New

Grn: 41 (2.0%) -1.8%

Lab HOLD

Priory, Swale Borough Council

LDem: 215 (38.1%) -13.7%

Con: 173 (30.6%) +1.5%

Grn: 128 (22.7%) +15.2%

Lab: 49 (8.7%) -3.0%

LDem HOLD

The Rows, West Suffolk Council

Con: 428 (65.2%) +26.5%

Lab: 126 (19.2%) New

LDem: 102 (15.5%) New

Con GAIN from Ind

Abbreviations

Grn = Green

Con = Conservative

LDem = Liberal Democrat

Lab = Labour

Ind = Independents

PCF = Putting Cumbria First

COUNCIL BY-ELECTIONS 23.09.21

Of this week's six contests only one seat changed hands, a surprise gain for the Conservatives in Cambridgeshire.  The Tories also successfully held a seat in Leicestershire and there is little sign yet that they are paying an electoral price for the ongoing crises facing Britain.

Having lost a seat to the Tories, the Lib Dems held their other two seats, while Labour and a local resident's association successfully defended one each.

Shepshed West, Charnwood Borough Council

Con: 511 (43.6%) +2.2%

Lab: 316 (26.9%) +0.9%

Grn: 302 (25.7%) +14.4%

LDem: 44 (3.8%) -3.9%

Con HOLD

Soham North, East Cambridgeshire District Council

Con: 484 (50.8%) +8.6%

LDem: 369 (38.8%) -9.1%

Lab: 71 (7.5%) -2.5%

Grn: 28 (2.9%) New

Con GAIN from LDem

Exe Valley, East Devon District Council

LDem: 190 (36.9%) -19.8%

Con: 164 (31.8%) -11.5%

Lab: 161 (31.3%) New

LDem HOLD

Cuddington, Epsom & Ewell Borough Council

RA: 585 (56.0%) -9.1%

Lab: 207 (19.8%) +9.2%

Con: 135 (12.9%) +1.3%

LDem: 117 (11.2%) -1.5%

RA HOLD

Wormholt & White City, Hammersmith & Fulham London Borough Council

Lab: 1,462 (70.0%) -5.6%

Con: 431 (20.6%) +6.3%

Grn: 110 (5.3%) New

LDem: 86 (4.1%) -3.2%

Lab HOLD

Kendal North, South Lakeland District Council

LDem: 622 (46.9%) +8.7%

Grn: 527 (39.8%) +13.0%

Con: 122 (9.2%) -12.1%

Lab: 54 (4.1%) -9.6%

LDem HOLD

Abbreviations

Con = Conservative

Lab = Labour

Grn = Green

LDem = Liberal Democrat

RA = Residents Association

COUNCIL BY-ELECTIONS 26.08.21

This week saw the Conservatives defending three seats, plus an open contest in Cumbria where the seat had been vacated by an independent.  The latter was a head-to-head battle in which the Lib Dems easily defeated the Conservatives.  Elsewhere, the Tories held in Newport, but had mixed results in Medway where they lost a seat to Labour.

Corby & Hayton, Cumbria County Council

LDem: 857 (71.0%) +60.8%

Con: 350 (29.0%) -6.0%

LDem GAIN from Ind

Princes Park, Medway Council

Con: 961 (67.4%) +19.6%

Lab: 313 (21.9%) -5.6%

Grn: 52 (3.6%) New

Ind: 51 (3.6%) New

LDem: 49 (3.4%) New

Con HOLD

Strood North, Medway Council

Lab: 913 (37.1%) +5.5%

Con: 728 (29.6%) -2.4%

Grn: 565 (23.0%) +11.0%

Ind: 216 (8.8%) New

LDem: 39 (1.6%) New

Lab GAIN from Con

Graig, Newport City Council

Con: 610 (50.2%) -0.7%

Lab: 534 (44.0%) +3.8%

LDem: 71 (5.8%) +0.9%

Con HOLD

Abbreviations

LDem = Liberal Democrat

Con = Conservative

Lab = Labour

Grn = Green

Ind = Independents

COUNCIL BY-ELECTIONS 12.08.21

Six by-elections this week - three in England and three in Scotland.  Labour were defending one seat  - in Tower Hamlets - and were crushed by local party Aspire.  Aspire is the successor party of Tower Hamlets First, the party that was banned in 2015 due to its involvement in electoral fraud.  The driving force behind both parties is Lutfur Rahman, a former Labour councillor.

Elsewhere in England there was a narrow hold for the Tories in Suffolk, fending off a surge from the Lib Dems who took full advantage of the absence of Green and independent candidates.  The Lib Dems had a good night both north and south of the border, with an easy hold in Cumbria and two gains in the Highlands.  The Highland results followed several rounds of counting due to the STV (single transferable vote) method in which second preference votes are counted until a candidate receives more than 50 per cent of the vote.

In North Ayrshire there was no need for further counting as the Conservatives stunned the incumbent SNP on first preference votes.  The Sturgeon and her separatist fanatics won't be happy with this week's results.

Orwell & Villages, East Suffolk District Council

Con: 873 (45.9%) +10.9%

LDem: 800 (42.0%) New

Lab: 230 (12.1%) -1.5%

Con HOLD

Inverness West, The Highland Council

(First preference votes)

SNP: 718 (33.7%) +4.4%

LDem: 678 (31.8%) +4.2%

Con: 293 (13.7%) +1.8%

Ind: 230 (10.8%) New

Grn: 159 (7.5%) New

ISP: 42 (2%) New

SLP: 11 (0.5%) New

LDem GAIN from Ind (elected at stage 7)

Wick & East Caithness, The Highland Council

(First preference votes)

LDem: 657 (27.3%) +23.6%

Ind: 622 (25.8%) +18.8%

SNP: 593 (24.6%) +12.9%

Con: 523 (21.7%) +7.8%

SLP: 16 (0.7%) New

LDem GAIN from Ind (elected at stage 5)

Dalry & West Kilbride, North Ayrshire Council

Con: 2,016 (53.5%) +31.3%

SNP: 1,292 (34.3%) +10.5%

Lab: 305 (8.1%) -0.3%

LDem: 58 (1.5%) New

SLab: 57 (1.5%) New

Ind: 42 (1.1%) +0.6%

Con GAIN from SNP

Grange, South Lakeland District Council

LDem: 1,336 (66.2%) +6.0%

Con: 541 (26.8%) +0.4%

Grn: 85 (4.2%) -2.7%

Labour: 56 (2.8%) -3.8%

LDem HOLD

Weavers, Tower Hamlets London Borough Council

Asp: 1,204 (46.5%) +31.4%

Lab: 742 (28.6%) -21.8%

Con: 360 (13.9%) +7.6%

Grn: 205 (7.9%) -1.8%

LDem: 50 (1.9%) -5.7%

TUSC: 30 (1.2%) New

Asp GAIN from Lab

Abbreviations

Con = Conservative

LDem = Liberal Democrat

Lab = Labour

SNP = Scottish National Party

Grn = Green

ISP = Independence for Scotland

SLP = Scottish Libertarian Party

SLab = Socialist Labour

Asp = Aspire

TUSC = Trade Union and Socialist Coalition

Ind = Independents

COUNCILLOR'S 'DAFT COW' OUTBURST

A Labour councillor labelled his local mayor a 'daft cow' during an online council meeting, thinking his microphone was muted.  The embarrassing mishap occurred as Allerdale Borough councillors met virtually on Monday using the Zoom app.  Cllr Alan Smith was until recently the leader of the opposition Labour group and was formerly leader of the council before the party got trounced in last year's council elections.  He made the remark towards the mayor, Cllr Hilary Harrington of the Allerdale Independents, as she took advice from an official off-screen.  The outburst immediately backfired as Cllr Smith realised he could be heard by everyone (watch below).

The mayor did not initially react to his remark, but following an adjournment she accepted an apology from Cllr Smith, albeit his apology appeared to be more concerned with the fact he'd been caught out.  Smith said: "It's been brought to my attention that my microphone was un-muted before we went into the adjournment, I may have made some derogatory remark.  I would like you to accept my apology for anything you may have picked up, it was totally out of conduct for me to have my microphone un-muted, I didn't know I was un-muted.  I'm sorry for what happened, take my apologies, please".

Despite the apology, another member of the Allerdale Independents later denounced Cllr Smith during the meeting.  Cllr George Kemp said: "I would just like to say how disgusted I am with the actions of Councillor Smith, absolutely disgraceful language for a former leader of this council.  It's an absolutely disgraceful thing he has done and he should be ashamed of himself".

The episode harks back to another Zoom clanger earlier this year when Labour's health minister in Wales dropped the f-word towards one of his own party colleagues.