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 11.12.25

Nine seats were up for grabs on Thursday, with Labour on the defence in two.  As we predicted, they lost both seats.  In Darlington we saw either the Tories or Reform making the gain, with the SNP the likely winner in West Lothian.  Reform actually took both seats as newcomers, including a groundbreaking victory north of the border in which they took their first Scottish council seat.

Labour were pushed to fourth in Darlington, with more than half the votes cast for Reform.  Labour slid to a distant third in West Lothian, with Reform and the SNP way out in front.  Apparently, the SNP fielded a 'non-binary' candidate in this election, which probably helped Reform no end.  It was a bad night for the SNP, as they fell to the Lib Dems in the other Scottish seat.

It was another crushing set of results for Labour, whose vote tally ducked down into double digits in three seats.  They finished last in four seats and could not finish any higher than third place anywhere.

It wasn't a great night for the Tories either, who lost two of the four seats they were defending.  They slumped to third in Devon and missed out on a hold by just ten votes in Lincolnshire.  Reform were the victors in the latter, also gaining another seat on the same council by an even slimmer margin of two votes.  A win's a win, and with four gains on the night there is no doubt which party will be the happiest.

Penyrheol, Caerphilly County Borough Council

Pld: 956 (60.1%) +6.3%
Ref: 422 (26.5%) New

Lab: 114 (7.2%) -24.4%

Con: 66 (4.3%) -10.4%

LDm: 32 (2.0%) New

Pld HOLD

Red Hall & Lingfield, Darlington Borough Council

Ref: 341 (37.7%) New

Con: 157 (17.3%) -22.5%

LDm: 157 (17.3%) New

Lab: 152 (16.8%) -37.1%

Grn: 89 (9.8%) +3.6%

Ind: 9 (1.0%) New

Ref GAIN from Lab

Seaton, East Devon District Council

LDm: 789 (41.3%) +19.2%

Ref: 565 (29.6%) New

Con: 400 (20.9%) -5.6%

Ind: 156 (8.2%) New

LDm GAIN from Con

Fort William & Ardnamurchan, Highland Council

(first preference votes)

LDm: 925 (40.4%) +3.0%

SNP: 665 (29.1%) -4.4%

Ref: 220 (9.6%) New

Grn: 216 (9.4%) -0.2%

Con: 175 (7.6%) -2.4%

Lab: 87 (3.8%) New

LDm GAIN from SNP (elected at stage 5)

Armitage with Handsacre, Lichfield District Council

Con: 630 (46.7%) -6.2%

Ref: 431 (31.9%) New

Lab: 127 (9.4%) -23.5%

LDm: 99 (7.3%) -6.8%

Grn: 63 (4.7%) New

Con HOLD

Belmont, South Kesteven District Council

Ref: 239 (33.4%) New

Con: 237 (33.1%) +1.5%

Ind: 143 (20.0%) New

Grn: 61 (8.5%) New

Lab: 35 (4.9%) -14.5%

Ref GAIN from Ind

Aveland, South Kesteven District Council

Ref: 290 (41.0%) +26.5%

Con: 280 (39.5%) +19.0%

Grn: 115 (16.2%) New

Lab: 23 (3.2%) New

Ref GAIN from Con

Eaglescliffe West, Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council

Con: 1,194 (60.9%) +4.4%

Ref: 470 (24.0%) +17.6%

Grn: 150 (7.6%) -0.2%

Lab: 147 (7.5%) -21.7%

Con HOLD

Whitburn & Blackburn, West Lothian Council

(first preference votes)

Ref: 1,177 (32.0%) New

SNP: 1,028 (28.0%) -10.7%

Lab: 627 (17.1%) -20.3%

Ind: 484 (13.2%) New

Con 129 (3.5%) -15.0%

LDm: 102 (2.8%) +0.4%

Grn: 101 (2.7%) -0.3%

Ind: 27 (0.7%) New

Ref GAIN from Lab (elected at stage 8)

COUNCIL BY-ELECTIONS 04.12.25

Five seats were being contested on Thursday, following Tuesday's by-election in Derbyshire.  The Derbyshire vacancy arose through the resignation of one of last May's crop of Reform councillors.  Reform held the seat by a wafer thin majority of 23, with the second placed Tories having significantly closed the gap.

Reform took advantage of an even slimmer margin to take a Lib Dem seat in Middlesbrough, pipping the incumbents by just 13 votes.  Labour finished last here and the best they could muster on Thursday was a couple of fourth places.

Labour were on a proxy defence in Nottinghamshire, where the incumbent was elected as a Labour councillor before he left for the local independent group last January.  He passed away in August, sparking a by-election.  The Broxtowe Alliance to which he belonged easily held the seat, which was technically a gain from Labour.  Labour slumped from first to fourth.

We still await any solid evidence of the Green surge, who only managed to contest four of the six seats and couldn't achieve anything better than Labour's fourth place.  Still, that's better than anything achieved by the Fruit and Nuts of Sultana and Corbyn...

Stapleford South East, Broxtowe Borough Council

Ind: 388 (34.6%) New

Ref: 245 (21.9%) New

LDm: 149 (13.3%) -8.2%

Lab: 128 (11.4%) -14.7%

Con: 108 (9.6%) -9.5%

Ind: 102 (9.2%) New

Ind GAIN from Lab

Exmouth Halsdon, East Devon District Council

LDm: 551 (35.9%) -4.0%

Ref: 438 (28.5%) New

Con: 393 (25.6%) -4.1%

Grn: 153 (10.0%) New

LDm HOLD

Nunthorpe, Middlesbrough Borough Council

Ref: 563 (35.8%) New

LDm: 550 (35.0%) -1.3%

Con: 328 (20.9%) -14.2%

Grn: 79 (5.0%) New

Lab: 53 (3.3%) -6.7%

Ref GAIN from LDm

Winkleigh, Torridge District Council

LDm: 325 (42.3%) +8.7%

Ref: 252 (32.8%) New

Con: 191 (24.9%) -23.7%

LDm GAIN from Con

Tudor, Watford Borough Council

LDm: 821 (52.6%) +4.3%

Ref: 433 (27.2%) +17.8%

Con: 148 (9.3%) -10.5%

Lab: 111 (7.0%) -16.4%

Grn: 77 (4.8%) New

LDm HOLD

Long Eaton North, Derbyshire County Council

(held on Tuesday)

Ref: 745 (28.1%) -7.7%

Con: 722 (27.2%) +4.2%

Lab: 579 (21.8%) -2.7%

Grn: 314 (11.8%) +4.5%

LDm: 154 (5.8%) -3.6%

Ind: 141 (5.3%) New

Ref HOLD

COUNCIL BY-ELECTIONS 06.11.25

Eight seats were contested on Thursday, including two notional defences for Labour that they were destined to lose.  Both of these seats had been won by the outgoing councillor, having finished second and picking up a seat by way of multi-vacancy elections.

In Scotland, this was achieved by Cllr David Graham, trailing in behind the SNP.  Graham was thrown out of office earlier this year when he was convicted and jailed for grooming and sexually abusing a 15-year-old girl.  The 43-year-old is now serving a sentence of two years and five months.  As expected, the SNP took the seat this time around, with Labour being pushed into third by Reform UK.

You'd be mistaken for thinking that Labour may have stood a better chance of holding in Derbyshire, where they previously trailed behind an independent.  Not so.  This had been a Tory seat up until 2021, but independents topped the last two polls.  We expected this to go either independent or Reform this time around, but it was no contest as the independent candidate romped home with more than twice the Reform vote.  Labour crashed into fourth place, behind the Conservatives.

Labour's vote share was down in all of the seats it contested on Thursday, and down by double digits in all but one.

It was another good week for Reform and the Lib Dems.  Reform either topped the polls or came second in all the seats it contested, gaining two from independents and one from the Conservatives.  The Lib Dems managed to gain two seats, one each from the Conservatives and Greens.  The latter could not even muster a candidate to defend their seat, making yet more mockery of the supposed 'Green surge' hyped up by the media.  The best the Greens could achieve this week was a third place finish in Nottinghamshire, in which only four candidates stood.

Buckhaven, Methil & Wemyss Villages, Fife Council

(first preference votes)

SNP: 1,594 (42.6%) -4.8%

Ref: 1,080 (28.9%) New

Lab: 778 (20.8) -11.4%

LDm: 99 (2.6%) +0.3%

Alb: 83 (2.2%) +0.9%

Con: 64 (1.7%) -4.8%

Sov: 45 (1.2%) New

SNP GAIN from Lab (elected stage 6)

Fleckney, Harborough District Council

Ref: 551 (35.0%) New

LDm: 453 (28.7%) +2.1%

Con: 416 (26.4%) -6.0%

Grn: 102 (6.5%) -6.2%

Lab: 54 (3.4%) -11.6%

Ref GAIN from Con

Balderton North & Coddington, Newark and Sherwood District Council

Ref: 545 (42.0%) New

Con: 480 (37.0%) +5.0%

Grn: 173 (13.3%) New

Lab: 101 (7.8%) -8.6%

Ref GAIN from Ind

Castle, Newark and Sherwood District Council

Ref: 204 (29.0%) New

Con: 193 (27.4%) -4.0%

Lab: 88 (12.5%) -21.3%

Ind: 74 (10.5%) New

LDm: 70 (9.9%) New

Grn: 61 (8.7%) New

Ind: 14 (2.0%) New

Ref GAIN from Ind

Seales, South Derbyshire District Council

Ind: 713 (55.7%) New

Ref: 309 (24.1%) New

Con: 105 (8.2%) -14.1%

Lab: 82 (6.4%) -20.0%

LDm: 72 (5.6%) New

Ind GAIN from Lab

Westway, Tandridge District Council

LDm: 539 (42.3%) -0.6%

Ref: 420 (33.0%) New

Con: 202 (15.9%) -13.3%

Lab: 112 (8.8%) -19.1%

LDm GAIN from Con

Lingfield,  Crowhurst & Tandridge, Tandridge District Council

Ind: 457 (38.0%) +3.2%

Ref: 329 (27.3%) New

Ind: 158 (13.1%) New

Con: 128 (10.6%) -1.3%

LDm: 90 (7.5%) -1.4%

Lab: 42 (3.5%) -13.4%

Ind HOLD

Okehampton South, West Devon Borough Council

LDm: 356 (57.1%) New

Con: 152 (24.4%) -5.9%

Ind: 116 (18.6%) New

LDm GAIN from Grn

A further two by-elections were contested earlier in the week, taking place on the somewhat unorthodox day of Tuesday.  These were both Labour defences in Burnley, Lancashire.  The party lost both seats to independents and were pushed into distant third places by Reform in both seats.

Queensgate, Burnley Borough Council

Ind: 679 (55.7%) New

Ref: 240 (19.7%) New

Lab: 133 (10.9%) -9.1%

Grn: 71 (5.8%) New

Ind: 52 (4.3%) New

Con: 43 (3.5%) -7.2%

Ind GAIN from Lab

Lanehead, Burnley Borough Council

Ind: 706 (44.4%) New

Ref: 510 (32.1%) New

Lab: 262 (16.5%) -25.9%

Con: 61 (3.8%) -11.6%

Grn: 50 (3.1%) New

Ind GAIN from Lab

Abbreviations

SNP = Scottish National Party

Ref = Reform UK

Lab = Labour

LDm = Liberal Democrat

Alb = Alba

Con = Conservative

Sov = Sovereignty

Grn = Green

Ind = Independents and local residents' groups

BY-ELECTIONS 23.10.25

Plaid Cymru have taken the Senedd seat of Caerphilly in a crucial indicator of how next May's Senedd elections could pan out.

Labour's red wall in south Wales has never fallen, not even in the 2019 Brexit election that saw many seats in the red wall across northern England turn Tory blue.  However, recent council by-elections had seen Reform taking several Labour seats in the Valleys that make up the sturdiest red wall of all.

Reform were also expected to take the Senedd seat of Caerphilly on Thursday, but polls and bookmakers called it wrong.  The most recent poll conducted in the constituency found Reform leading on 42 per cent, closely followed by Plaid Cymru on 38 per cent.  Labour were way back on just 12 per cent.  Bookies put even more faith in Reform gaining this seat, making them odds on favourites, considerably ahead of Plaid, but miles in front of Labour who were languishing way back on 33-1.

It would have been a colossal victory for Reform, having previously finished last in 2021 with less than two per cent of the vote.  They still surged past every other party in this by-election - except for one.  Plaid Cymru emerged victorious with a fairly comfortable margin over Reform of 3,848.  Labour finished a distant third, as predicted, but they will take solace in the fact that their left-wing comrades in Plaid were the victors and not the dreaded Reform.

Labour had held Caerphilly since the dawn of what was then known as the Welsh Assembly.  Its first AM (now termed MS) was Ron Davies, the leader of Welsh Labour who led the charge for devolution back in the late 90s, before an infamous incident on Clapham Common in London brought him down in disgrace.

The most recent MS for Caerphilly was Hefin David, who was found dead in a suspected suicide two months ago.  In the 2021 Senedd election he secured Labour's biggest ever majority in the constituency, which has now been overturned by the fake nationalists of Plaid Cymru.  And check out that huge swing from Labour to Reform...

Caerphilly, Senedd

Lindsay Whittle (Pld) 15,961 (47.4%) +19.0%

Llŷr Powell (Ref) 12,113 (36.0%) +34.2%

Richard Tunnicliffe (Lab) 3,713 (11.0%) -34.9%

Gareth Potter (Con) 690 (2.0%) -15.3%

Gareth Hughes (Grn) 516 (1.5%) New

Steven Aicheler (LDm) 497 (1.5%) -1.2%

Anthony Cook (Gwd) 117 (0.3%) New

Roger Quilliam (UKIP) 79 (0.2%) New

Previous result

Hefin David (Lab) 13,289 (46.0%) +10.7%

Delyth Jewell (Pld) 8,211 (28.4%) -1.1%

Steven Mayfield (Con) 5,013 (17.3%) +8.4%

Stephen Jones (AbAs) 1,119 (3.9%) New

Steven Aicheler (LDm) 787 (2.7%) +1.3%

Tim Price (Ref) 495 (1.7%) New

There were also seven council contests taking place on Thursday, with Labour defending two seats - one each in south Birmingham and Colchester, Essex.  They were defeated in Birmingham by the Lib Dems, who were very much in the ascendancy overall.  The Moseley ward was previously contested for two seats, which is why the vote shares look a little off.  It is very much a left-leaning 'progressive' ward, which is why Reform and the Tories were nowhere to be seen.

Labour managed to cling on in Colchester, holding off a Lib Dem challenge, but saw their vote share plummet.  The Labour vote share was down in every seat contested, with the exception of Glastonbury in Somerset, where they were newcomers.

Reform made a gain in Portsmouth at the hands of an outgoing independent, garnering more than five times the vote of the second placed Tories.  Overall, Reformers would probably be disheartened by this election night, but the truth is that they are still taking the electoral landscape by storm.  From the other six council seats contested, they finished second in four at the first time of asking.

The Tories held a seat in Cambridgeshire, but lost a seat to the Lib Dems in Somerset.  The Lib Dems really were the success story of these council by-elections, gaining three and holding another.  There is still little evidence of a Green bounce, as per opinion polling, although they did marginally increase their vote share in three of five seats contested.

Moseley, Birmingham City Council

LDm: 1,634 (34.7%) -11.9%

Lab: 1,149 (24.4%) -14.1%

Ind: 923 (19.6%) New

Grn: 474 (10.1%) +1.5%

Ref: 345 (7.3%) New

Con: 101 (2.4%) -4.1%

Ind: 80 (1.7%) New

LDm GAIN from Lab

New Town & Christ Church, Colchester City Council

Lab: 800 (29.7%) -27.6%

LDm: 657 (24.4%) +12.1%

Ref: 600 (22.3%) New

Grn: 401 (14.9%) +5.3%

Con: 200 (7.4%) -8.9%

Ind: 38 (1.4%) -3.1%

Lab HOLD

Whittlesey North West, Fenland District Council

Con: 483 (47.5%) -9.8%

Ref: 346 (34.1%) New

Ind: 127 (12.5%) New

Lab: 60 (5.9%) -16.2%

Con HOLD

Paulsgrove, Portsmouth City Council

Ref: 1,770 (64.2%) New

Con: 311 (11.3%) -4.0%

Lab: 289 (10.5%) -4.1%

LDm: 239 (8.7%) +5.7%

Grn: 143 (5.3%) +1.9%

Ref GAIN from Ind

Glastonbury, Somerset Council

LDm: 882 (36.4%) -0.7%

Ref: 523 (21.6%) New

Con: 506 (20.9%) -9.7%

Grn: 480 (19.8%) -7.5%

Lab: 35 (1.4%) New

LDm HOLD

Dunster, Somerset Council

LDm: 1142 (49.6%) +8.4%

Ref: 666 (28.9%) New

Con: 449 (19.5%) -22.8%

Lab: 44 (1.9%) -4.2%

LDm GAIN from Con

Milton & Tamarside, Torridge District Council

LDm: 428 (37.5%) New

Ref: 355 (31.1%) New

Con: 191 (16.7%) New

Ind: 101 (8.8%) New

Grn: 67 (5.9%) -23.9%

LDm GAIN from Ind

Abbreviations

Pld = Plaid Cymru

Ref = Reform UK

Lab = Labour

Con = Conservative

Grn = Green

LDm = Liberal Democrat

Gwd = Gwlad

UKIP = United Kingdom Independence Party

AbAs = Abolish the Welsh Assembly

Ind = Independent

COUNCIL BY-ELECTIONS 09.10.25

Seven by-elections were held this week, including a Wednesday contest that was easily held by the Lib Dems.  The following day the Lib Dems held again, this time in Somerset, and also took a seat from the Conservatives in neighbouring Devon.

This week was a good test of how the Tory party conference had played out to the electorate, with three seats being defended - one each in the north of England, south of England and Midlands.  They lost all three.  Furthermore, their vote share was down in all seven seats, including double digit drops in four of them.  In all three losses they slumped to third place.

Reform took two of the Tory seats, while they held in Northamptonshire.  If you recall, Reform were struggling to hold seats following the local elections, but they have now held their last four defences.

Labour's only defence was a seat in Lancashire, in which the outgoing councillor had resigned from the party last year before continuing as an independent.  Labour failed to retake the seat, losing out to residents' group Our West Lancashire and being pushed into third by Reform.

Widcombe & Lydcombe, Bath and North East Somerset Council

LDm: 769 (44.4%) -11.8%

Grn: 267 (15.4%) +0.6%

Lab: 212 (12.2%) +4.7%

Ref: 206 (11.9%) New

Con: 149 (8.6%) -12.8%

Ind: 83 (4.8%) New

Ind: 45 (2.6%) New

LDm HOLD

Lloyds & Corby Village, North Northamptonshire Council

Ref: 754 (38.5%) +2.1%

Lab: 635 (32.4%) -11.8%

Grn: 371 (18.9%) +9.7%

LDm: 113 (5.8%) +1.5%

Con: 86 (4.4%) -1.5%

Ref HOLD

Skelton East, Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council

Ref: 839 (65.3%) New

Lab: 247 (19.2%) -10.7%

Con: 179 (13.9%) -29.4%

LDm: 19 (1.5%) -1.5%

Ref GAIN from Con

Kenn Valley, Teignbridge District Council

LDm: 1,116 (50.4%) +11.0%

Ref: 512 (23.1%) New

Con: 212 (9.6%) -19.0%

Ind: 181 (8.2%) New

Grn: 122 (5.5%) -13.9%

Lab: 59 (2.7%) -9.9%

Ind: 12 (0.5%) New

LDm GAIN from Con

Aughton & Holborn, West Lancashire Borough Council

Ind: 704 (35.5%) +10.4%

Ref: 478 (24.1%) +18.6%

Lab: 385 (19.4%) -21.3%

Con: 295 (14.9%) -8.7%

Grn: 78 (3.9%) -1.1%

LDm: 42 (2.1%) New

Ind GAIN from Lab

Bretforton & Offenham, Wychavon District Council

Ref: 357 (43.5%) New

Grn: 213 (25.9%) New

Con: 165 (20.1%) -35.4%

Lab: 33 (4.0%) -25.9%

LDm: 31 (3.8%) -10.8%

Ind: 12 (1.5%) New

Ind: 10 (1.2%) New

Ref GAIN from Con

Yateley West, Hart District Council

(held on Wednesday)

LDm: 1,101 (54.7%) -5.9%

Ref: 562 (27.9%) New

Con: 348 (17.3%) -8.2%

LDm HOLD

COUNCIL BY-ELECTIONS 31.07.25

Just three council vacancies were fought over this week, two of which were Labour defences.  They managed to fend off a challenge from Green newcomers in east London, where the Labour vote share plummeted by almost 26 per cent.  There was a large swing there from Labour to both the Greens and Reform, who were also newcomers in that ward.

Labour endured a similar collapse in their vote share in Warrington, where Reform UK gained their first seat on that council.  Elsewhere, the Lib Dems completed a routine hold in their south west stronghold, where Labour did not even bother putting up a candidate this time around.  That's understandable, as their 11 per cent last time would have guaranteed them last place, even without their now trademark slump...

Thames View, Barking and Dagenham London Borough Council

Lab: 334 (36.1%) -25.9%

Grn: 277 (29.9%) New

Ref: 197 (21.3%) New

Con: 117 (12.6%) -10.6%

Lab HOLD

Barnstaple with Westacott, North Devon District Council

LDm: 505 (40.5%) +0.5%

Ref: 383 (30.7%) New

Con: 205 (16.4%) -6.1%

Grn: 154 (12.3%) -2.4%

LDm HOLD

Bewsey & Whitecross, Warrington Borough Council

Ref: 752 (43.7%) New

Lab: 631 (36.6%) -22.6%

LDm: 223 (13.0%) -8.4%

Con: 116 (6.7%) -12.7%

Ref GAIN from Lab

Abbreviations

Lab = Labour

Grn = Green

Ref = Reform UK

Con = Conservative

LDm = Liberal Democrat

COUNCIL BY-ELECTIONS 26.06.25

A whopping ten by-elections were held this week, from Edinburgh in the north to Sussex in the south.  Labour were defending half the seats and finished the day on just one, a hold in Stevenage.  Labour's vote share was down in every single seat, from a marginal decrease of 1.7 per cent in Edinburgh to a crushing 34.3 per cent in Chorley, Lancs.

Reform continued their good form, with gains in Basildon and Rossendale from local independents and also taking a Labour seat in Sheffield.  In all three seats they came from nowhere to win first time round.

The other Labour losses came at the hands of the Greens in London, Conservatives in Chorley and Lib Dems in Edinburgh.  Labour enjoyed a narrow lead in Edinburgh on the first round, but eventually lost out to the Lib Dems thanks to Scotland's single transferable vote system.

Wickford Park, Basildon Borough Council

Ref: 922 (40.6%) New

Con: 840 (37.0%) +6.1%

LDm: 171 (7.5%) -6.8%

Ind: 148 (6.5%) -25.4%

Lab: 146 (6.4%) -16.4%

Grn: 43 (1.9%) New

Ref GAIN from Ind

Buckshaw & Whittle, Chorley Borough Council

Con: 576 (35.5%) +3.2%

Ref: 530 (32.7%) New

Lab: 412 (25.4%) -34.3%

Grn: 103 (6.4%) -1.6%

Con GAIN from Lab

Fountainbridge/Craiglockhart, Edinburgh City Council

(first preferences)

Lab: 1,293 (20.8%) -1.7%

LDm: 1,269 (20.4%) +13.3%

Grn: 1,133 (18.2%) -1.7%

SNP: 905 (14.5%) -8.2%

Con: 857 (13.8%) -12.8%

Ref: 489 (7.9%) New

Ind: 111 (1.8%) New

Ind: 39 (0.6%) New

Ind: 36 (0.6%) New

SFP: 34 (0.5%) -0.2%

SLP: 25 (0.4%) -0.1%

Ind: 25 (0.4%) New

Ind: 9 (0.1%) New

LDm GAIN from Lab (elected at stage 13)

Shooters Hill, Greenwich London Borough Council

Grn: 869 (34.6%) +19.5%

Lab: 756 (30.1%) -29.1%

Ref: 402 (16.0%) +13.2%

Con: 288 (11.5%) -2.4%

LDm: 128 (5.1%) -3.6%

Ind: 57 (2.3%) New

Ind: 9 (0.4%) New

Grn GAIN from Lab

Crediton Lawrence, Mid Devon District Council

LDm: 540 (64.9%) +12.8%

Ref: 226 (27.2%) New

Lab: 66 (7.9%) -18.3%

LDm HOLD

Whitworth, Rossendale Borough Council

Ref: 733 (47.5%) New

Con: 449 (29.1%) -0.7%

Lab: 251 (16.3%) -4.8%

Grn: 110 (7.1%) -4.0%

Ref GAIN from Ind

Catsfield & Crowhurst, Rother District Council

LDm: 267 (36.6%) -11.9%

Ref: 200 (27.4%) New

Con: 162 (22.2%) -10.9%

Lab: 101 (13.8%) -4.7%

LDm HOLD

Stocksbridge & Upper Don, Sheffield City Council

Ref: 1,789 (32.9%) New

LDm: 1,595 (29.3%) +12.1%

Lab: 1,324 (24.4%) -25.2%

Con: 332 (6.1%) -21.6%

Grn: 294 (5.4%) -7.1%

Yrk: 58 (1.1%) New

TUS: 43 (0.8%) -1.2%

Ref GAIN from Lab

Great Wyrley Landywood, South Staffordshire District Council

Con: 358 (48.7%) +9.1%

Ref: 292 (39.7%) New

Lab: 55 (7.5%) -30.3%

LDm: 30 (4.1%) New

Con HOLD

Bedwell, Stevenage Borough Council

Lab: 506 (43.2%) -2.5%

Ref: 404 (34.5%) New

Con: 105 (9.0%) -9.9%

Grn: 79 (6.7%) -7.8%

LDm: 78 (6.7%) -8.6%

Lab HOLD

Abbreviations

Ref = Reform UK

Con = Conservative

LDm = Liberal Democrat

Lab = Labour

Grn = Green

SNP = Scottish National Party

SFP = Scottish Family Party

SLP = Scottish Libertarian Party

Yrk = Yorkshire

TUS = Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition

Ind = Independent

COUNCIL BY-ELECTIONS 17.04.25

Just two seats were available on Thursday and it was two gains for the Lib Dems.  The introduction of a Reform candidate in Horsham appeared to hit the Tories (probably cost Labour a few votes, also), helping the Lib Dems to victory there.  In Torridge the Lib Dems came from nowhere to take a previously independent seat.

Colgate & Rusper, Horsham

LDm: 453 (30.3%) -0.3%

Con: 406 (27.2%) -15.8%

Grn: 375 (25.1%) +12.6%

Ref: 206 (13.8%) New

Lab: 53 (3.5%) -10.4%

LDm GAIN from Con

Appledore, Torridge District Council

LDm: 304 (40.8%) New

Con: 235 (31.5%) New

Ind: 116 (15.5%) New

Grn: 91 (12.2%) -32.3%

LDm GAIN from Ind

Abbreviations

LDm = Liberal Democrat

Con= Conservative

Grn = Green

Ref = Reform UK

Lab = Labour

Ind = Independent

COUNCIL BY-ELECTIONS 13.03.25

Just a paltry two seats were up for grabs this week - one each in Devon and Scotland.  Both were fairly routine holds.  Reform UK still appear to be polling strongly, despite all the public mudslinging...

Exe Valley, East Devon District Council

LDm: 256 (44.0%) +7.1%

Con: 137 (23.5%) -8.3%

Ref: 135 (23.2%) New

Lab: 54 (9.3%) -22.0%

LDm HOLD

Broxburn, Uphill & Winchburgh, West Lothian Council

(first preference votes)

SNP: 1,375 (31.8%) -8.2%

Lab: 1,263 (29.3%) +0.9%

Ref: 809 (18.7%) New

Con: 324 (7.5%) -9.5%

LDm: 229 (5.3%) +1.7%

Grn: 185 (4.3%) +0.1%

Alb: 135 (3.1%) +1.8%

SNP HOLD (elected at stage 7)

Abbreviations

LDm = Liberal Democrat

Con = Conservative

Ref = Reform UK

Lab = Labour

SNP = Scottish National Party

Grn = Green

Alb = Alba

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

COUNCIL BY-ELECTIONS 10.11.22

Nine council seats on seven authorities were up for grabs this week.  The Conservatives were defending six seats and held four of these.  They held two seats in South Kesteven, Lincolnshire, narrowly fending off an independent surge in the ward of Grantham St Wulfram's.  They also held in Broxtowe and Cannock Chase, despite a dip in their vote share.

The Tories lost two seats to Labour - one in Braintree, Essex and another in Cannock Chase, Staffordshire, where they slipped to distant third.

It was a tale of independents in the remaining seats, including a gain from the Lib Dems in Kington-upon-Thames.  The only absentees in this week's polls were two independent candidates, one each in Cannock Chase and East Devon.

Braintree South, Braintree District Council

Lab: 372 (45.2%) +15.6%

Con: 317 (38.5%) -10.3%

Grn: 134 (16.3%) -5.2%

Lab GAIN from Con

Coggeshall, Braintree District Council

Ind: 576 (43.5%) -17.1%

Con: 451 (34.1%) +6.1%

Lab: 297 (22.4%) +11.0%

Ind GAIN from Ind

Greasley, Broxtowe Borough Council

Con: 637 (47.7%) -16.1%

Lab: 555 (41.6%) +5.4%

LDem: 143 (10.7%) New

Con HOLD

Rosehill with Burnley Wood, Burnley Borough Council

Lab: 372 (39.4%) +8.5%

LDem: 363 (38.4%) +9.9%

Con: 123 (13.0%) -18.6%

Grn: 87 (9.2%) +0.2%

Lab GAIN from Con

Cannock West, Cannock Chase District Council

Con: 688 (55.4%) -4.5%

Lab: 430 (34.6%) +7.1%

Grn: 124 (10.0%) +4.5%

Con HOLD

Newton Poppleford & Harpford, East Devon District Council

Ind: 560 (67.1%) New

Lab: 162 (19.4%) New

Con: 113 (13.5%) -0.3%

Ind GAIN from Ind

Green Lane & St James, Kingston-upon-Thames London Borough Council

Ind: 855 (46.3%) +9.0%

LDem: 647 (35.1%) -3.8%

Lab: 265 (14.4%) +3.3%

Con: 78 (4.2%) -8.4%

Ind GAIN from LDem

Bourne East, South Kesteven District Council

Con: 310 (43.5%) +5.6%

Lab: 154 (21.6%) +5.7%

Ind: 120 (16.9%) -29.3%

LDem: 78 (11.0%) New

Grn: 50 (7.0%) New

Con HOLD

Grantham St Wulfram’s, South Kesteven District Council

Con: 359 (39.2%) -20.6%

Ind: 307 (33.6%) New

Lab: 174 (19.0%) +2.1%

Grn: 75 (8.2%) -15.1%

Con HOLD

BY-ELECTIONS 23.06.22

The Conservatives were defending two parliamentary seats on Thursday and have sensationally lost both of them.  The Tiverton and Honiton by-election came about due to the resignation of Neil Parish, who was found to have viewed pornography on his mobile phone in the Commons chamber.  The Tories were defending a whopping 24,239 majority in the Devon constituency, but a huge swing to the Lib Dems put them top of the poll with a 6,144 majority.  The Lib Dems finished third here in 2019, but Labour boosted their chances this time around by stepping back from campaigning.  As a consequence, Labour finished third themselves and lost their deposit.

Tiverton and Honiton had been held by the Conservatives since its creation in 1997, the previous Tiverton constituency had been blue since 1924.  This stunning defeat deals another crushing blow to Boris Johnson's leadership.

Tiverton & Honiton by-election

Richard Foord (LDem) 22,537 (53.1%) +38.6%

Helen Hurford  (Con) 16,393 (38.4%) -21.8%

Liz Pole (Lab) 1,562 (3.7%) -15.8%

Gill Westcott (Grn) 1,064 (2.5%) -1.3%

Andy Foan (RefUK) 481 (1.1%) New

Ben Walker (UKIP) 241 (0.6%) -1.0

Jordan Donoghue-Morgan (Herit) 167 (0.4%) New

Frankie Rufolo (ForBr) 146 (0.3%) New

The Wakefield by-election went to Labour, as expected.  Before 2019 the seat had been red since 1932, but Imran Khan took the seat in the last general election for the Tories.  He stood down following his conviction for sexually assaulting a 15-year-old boy.  His 3,358 majority was overturned by Labour's Simon Lightwood who topped the poll with a 4,925 majority - the party's largest majority in Wakefield since 2005.

It was a crowded ballot paper in Wakefield, but only three of the 15 candidates saved their deposits.

Wakefield by-election

Simon Lightwood (Lab) 13,166 (48.4%) +8.6%

Nadeem Ahmed (Con) 8,241 (30.3%) -17.0%

Akef Akbar (Ind) 2,090 (7.7%) New

David Herdson (Yorks) 1,182 (4.3%) +2.4%

Ashley Routh (Grn) 587 (2.2%) New

Chris Walsh (RefUK) 513 (1.9%) -4.2%

Jamie Needle (LDem) 508 (1.9%) -2.0%

Ashlea Simon (BritF) 311 (1.1%) New

Mick Dodgson (Freedom) 187 (0.7%) New

Sir Archibald Stanton Earl Eaton (Loony) 171 (0.6%) New

Paul Bickerdike (Christ) 144 (0.5%) New

Therese Hirst (EngDem) 135 (0.5% New

Jordan Gaskell (UKIP) 124 (0.5%) New

Christopher Jones (North) 84 (0.3%) New

Jayda Fransen (Ind) 23 (0.1%) New

There were also five council by-elections on Thursday with eight seats up for grabs.  The Conservatives were defending two seats and lost them both, mirroring their parliamentary woes with defeats to Labour and the Lib Dems.  In Waverley the Lib Dems were helped to victory by the absence of a Labour candidate this time - the 'progressive alliance' in action again.

Labour held two seats in south Wales, while the Lib Dems gained a seat from an independent in Shropshire.  The Lib Dems also picked up three seats in Kingston-upon-Thames, an election postponed from May after one of the candidates passed away.

Bush Fair, Harlow District Council

Lab: 594 (47.1%) +2.6%

Con: 482 (38.2%) -6.5%

Grn: 109 (8.6%) +1.0%

HAP: 76 (6.0%) New

Lab GAIN from Con

New Malden Village, Kingston London Borough Council

(three seats)

LDem: 1,217

LDem: 1,184

LDem: 1,182 

Grn: 867 

Ind: 724

Ind: 703 

Con: 467

Con: 372

Con: 327

Lab: 436

Lab: 429

Lab: 374

LDem GAIN x 3 (new ward)

Port Talbot, Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council

(two seats)

Lab: 914

Lab: 898

Plaid: 367

Ind: 246 

Plaid: 244

Ind: 171

Grn: 46

Grn: 25

Lab HOLD x 2

Highley, Shropshire Council

LDem: 630 (54.5%) New

Con: 279 (24.1%) -9.5%

Lab: 239 (20.7%) +7.3%

Grn: 9 (0.8%) New

LDem GAIN from Ind

Hindhead, Waverley Borough Council

LDem: 526 (54.6%) +7.9%

Con: 440 (45.4%) -1.2%

LDem GAIN from Con

Abbreviations

LDem = Liberal Democrat

Con = Conservative

Lab = Labour

Grn = Green

RefUK = Reform UK

UKIP = UK Independence Party

Herit = Heritage

ForBrit = For Britain

Yorks = Yorkshire

BritF = Britain First

Freedom = Freedom Alliance

Loony = Monster Raving Loony

Christ = Christian Peoples Alliance

EngDem = English Democrats

North = Northern Independence

HAP = Harlow Alliance Party

Plaid = Plaid Cymru

Ind = Independent

THE WAKEFIELD TOSSER

Keir Starmer ran into some public dissent over the weekend in a Wakefield walkabout ahead of Thursday's parliamentary by-election.  Embarrassingly for the Labour leader, a film crew from the Daily Telegraph were on hand to record the incident.  As Starmer walks alongside the party's candidate, a man can be heard shouting "Don't vote for him, he's a tosser".  It's not clear if the jibe was directed at Starmer or his candidate.

Click below for the video.

Voters go to the polls in two big by-elections this Thursday, both Conservative defences and both brought about because of disgraced Tory MPs.

In Wakefield Labour are firm favourites to retake the seat after the incumbent was convicted of sexual assault on a 15-year-old boy.  The Tories had taken the seat from Labour in 2019, making Imran Khan the first Conservative MP for Wakefield since 1931.  The Tories have chosen another Muslim candidate to defend the seat, local councillor Nadeem Ahmed.  Meanwhile, Labour have been accused of parachuting an outsider into the constituency.  Simon Lightwood is from South Shields - 107 miles north of Wakefield.  It's a packed ballot paper for the by-election, with 15 candidates in total.

Wakefield general election 2019 result

Imran Khan (Con) 21,283 (47.3%) +2.3%

Mary Creagh (Lab) 17,925 (39.8%) –9.9%

Peter Wiltshire (Brexit) 2,725 (6.1%) New

Jamie Needle (LDem) 1,772 (3.9%) +1.9%

Ryan Kett (Yorks) 868 (1.9%) -0.6%

Stephen Whyte (Ind) 454 (1.0%) New

In Tiverton and Honiton it's the Lib Dems who are favourites to beat the Tories, despite coming third in 2019.  Labour have taken a step back from campaigning in order to give the Lib Dems the best possible chance of taking the seat.  If the Conservatives lose Tiverton it will be a huge blow, more so than Wakefield, because they are defending a much larger majority of 24,239.

The seat was vacated after the incumbent, Neil Parish, was found to have viewed pornography on his phone while in the Commons chamber.  The Tories have chosen a local candidate by the name of Helen Hurford, a former headteacher who now runs a beauty salon.  The Lib Dems are throwing the kitchen sink at this by-election and have selected ex-squaddie Richard Foord, who is from the village of Uffculme to the east of Tiverton.

Tiverton & Honiton general election 2019 result

Neil Parish (Con) 35,893 (60.2%) –1.2%

Liz Pole (Lab) 11,654 (19.5%) –7.6%

John Timperley (LDem) 8,807 (14.8%) +6.8%

Colin Reed (Grn) 2,291 (3.8%) +0.3%

Margaret Dennis (UKIP) 968 (1.6%) New

We'll publish the results on this website as soon as they are available.

COUNCIL BY-ELECTIONS 07.04.22

There were nine by-elections on Thursday and it was a very mixed bag with all but four of those seats changing hands.

The Conservatives were defending three seats - one each in Dorset, East Yorkshire and West Sussex.  They lost all three seats - two to the Greens and one to the Lib Dems.  The Green success in Horsham was particularly stunning as they were newcomers to the poll, but were undoubtedly assisted by the absence of a Labour candidate this time.

There was better news for the Tories in Derbyshire where they gained a seat from Labour and tipped High Peak Borough Council into No Overall Control.

Labour were the only party to hold any seats on Thursday, successfully defending all four.  However, there was a significant reduction in their vote in two Liverpool seats.

The remaining seat was an open contest in Devon, caused by a retiring independent.  The Lib Dems mopped up there.

Absentees this week were UKIP in East Yorkshire and Telford, Labour in Horsham, the Liberal Party in Warbreck (Liverpool) and Mid-Devon.  Independents were absent from Mid-Devon and Wolverhampton.

Lyme & Charmouth, Dorset Council

Grn: 594 (43.8%) +27.0%

Con: 359 (26.5%) -13.7%

Ind: 320 (23.6%) -6.7%

Lab: 82 (6.1%) -6.6%

Grn GAIN from Con

South Hunsley, East Riding of Yorkshire Council

LDem: 1,351 (54.7%) +41.1%

Con: 907 (36.8%) -28.5%

Lab: 110 (4.5%) -6.8%

Grn: 100 (4.1%) New

LDem GAIN from Con

Cote Heath, High Peak Borough Council

Con: 585 (55.5%) +5.4%

Lab: 413 (39.2%) -10.7%

Grn: 56 (5.3%) New

Con GAIN from Lab

Storrington & Washington, Horsham District Council

Grn: 1,281 (47.9%) New

Con: 943 (35.2%) -16.1%

LDem: 453 (16.9%) -13.5%

Grn GAIN from Con

Everton, Liverpool City Council

Lab: 925 (62.0%) -24.6%

Grn: 362 (24.2%) +20.5%

Lib: 84 (5.6%) +3.4%

Con: 51 (3.4%) -1.7%

TUSC: 46 (3.1%) +3.1%

LDem: 25 (1.7%) -0.6%

Lab HOLD

Warbreck, Liverpool City Council

Lab: 912 (48.2%) -31.8%

LDem: 874 (46.2%) +38.3%

Grn: 61 (3.2%) -1.1%

Con: 46 (2.4%) -4.1%

Lab HOLD

Cullompton South, Mid Devon District Council

LDem: 318 (47.9%) +26.2%

Con: 279 (42.0%) +9.3%

Lab: 67 (10.1%) New

LDem GAIN from Ind

Brookside, Telford and Wrekin Council

Lab: 531 (58.8%) +20.0%

Con: 318 (35.2%) +11.8%

LDem: 54 (6.0%) -11.6%

Lab HOLD

East Park, Wolverhampton City Council

Lab: 783 (65.5%) +6.2%

Con: 412 (34.5%) +17.0%

Lab HOLD

Abbreviations

Grn = Green

Con = Conservative

Lab = Labour

LDem = Liberal Democrat

Lib = Liberal

TUSC = Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition

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 09.12.21

Seven by-elections this week - six Conservative defences and a free-for-all.  It was an awful night for the Tories as they lost all but one of the seats they were defending.  They lost two seats to Labour, two to the Lib Dems and one to the Greens.  The Aughton and Swallownest election in Rotherham was a technical gain for Labour, as the last election in May was for two seats and the Tory was elected in second place.

On a lighter note for the Tories, they gained a seat in Torridge (Devon) after the independent incumbent had been disqualified for non-attendance.

The Lib Dems did not contest Old Bracknell or Castle this time round.  UKIP did not contest Northam.

Old Bracknell, Bracknell Forest Council

Lab: 434 (61.1%) +23.2%

Con: 276 (38.9%) -9.3%

Lab GAIN from Con

Anston & Woodsetts, Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council

LDem: 1,016 (38.6%) +16.6%

Con: 686 (26.1%) -6.6%

Lab: 533 (20.3%) +0.4%

Ind: 189 (7.2%) New

Ind: 118 (4.5%) -11.7%

Grn: 63 (2.4%) -5.8%

York: 20 (0.8%) New

RDP: 6 (0.2%) New

LDem GAIN from Con

Aughton & Swallownest, Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council

Lab: 645 (49.8%) +10.2%

Con: 496 (38.3%) +6.1%

Grn: 59 (4.6%) New

York: 35 (2.7%) New

TUSC: 32 (2.5%) New

RDP: 15 (1.2%) -15.3%

LDem: 14 (1.1%) -4.1%

Lab GAIN from Con (see notes)

Castle, Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council

Grn: 731 (59.3%) +36.0%

Con: 454 (36.8%) -7.3%

Lab: 48 (3.9%) -5.0%

Grn GAIN from Con

Kings Hill, Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council

Con: 740 (59.3%) +12.2%

Ind: 316 (25.3%) -9.3%

LDem: 191 (15.3%) -3.0%

Con HOLD

West Malling & Leybourne, Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council

LDem: 776 (49.6%) +17.7%

Con: 624 (39.8%) +4.0%

Grn: 137 (8.7%) New

Lab: 29 (1.9%) -4.1%

LDem GAIN from Con

Northam, Torridge District Council

Con: 386 (38.7%) +19.1%

LDem: 230 (23.1%) +9.9%

Grn: 224 (22.5%) New

Lab: 103 (10.3%) -0.7%

Ind: 54 (5.4%) New

Con GAIN from Ind

Abbreviations

Lab = Labour

LDem = Liberal Democrat

Con = Conservative

Grn = Green

York = Yorkshire Party

RDP = Rotherham Democratic Party

TUSC = Trade Union and Socialist Coalition

Ind = Independents