MEME MONDAY #96

We are once again operating a skeleton crew this week, with just a handful of memes produced and evenly split between Karl and Richey.  It is likely to be some weeks before output can return to anything like previous levels.

Mon 10 Aug - 230 shares.  Just to clarify that the leader of Cambridge City
Council - Cllr Katie Thornburrow - is the one on the right in this picture!

Wed 12 Aug - 559 shares

Fri 14 Aug - 80 shares

Sat 15 Aug - 2 shares

Sun 16 Aug - 320 shares

Sun 16 Aug - 61 shares

Sun 16 Aug - 4 shares.  Too soon?

Richey produced two Facebook Stories last week, one of which incorporated one of Karl's memes when the (Tory) government first introduced the 'emergency alert system'.  The red half of the Uniparty had no issues in adopting this Tory policy, because socialism is more naturally suited to invading the privacy of citizens and dictating to them in their own homes.  Opt out in your phone settings and tell the government to do one.

Please show your appreciation and help us achieve more in this tricky time - buy us a pint each here.

COUNCIL BY-ELECTIONS 02.07.26

Twelve seats were up for grabs on Thursday - four Conservative defences, two each for Labour and the Lib Dems, one each for Plaid Cymru and a local independent group, plus two free-for-alls.

Labour only contested eight seats this week and the apparent bounce they enjoyed last week on the back of Starmer's resignation was muted at best.  They collected three wooden spoons, which included tallies of just 14 votes in the Cotswolds and 15 votes in mid-Wales.  Their vote share was mostly down, they lost a seat to Reform in Leicestershire and only just held them off for a narrow hold in Shropshire.

Peterhead South & Cruden, Aberdeenshire Council

(first preference votes)

SNP: 741 (36.5%) -10.0%

Ref: 465 (22.9%) New

Con: 431 (21.3%) -20.0%

Ind: 150 (7.4%) New

Ind: 132 (6.5%) New

LDm: 56 (2.8%) -9.4%

SFP: 54 (2.7%) New

SNP GAIN from Con (elected at stage 6)

Triggered by the death of the 65-year-old incumbent, who had been serving as an independent since leaving the Conservatives a year after he was elected in 2022.  The SNP topped the poll here in 2022 on first preferences, with the Conservatives elected in second place and taking up one of the three vacant seats.  Labour and the Greens remain absent from this ward, which helped the SNP to a relatively easy gain, despite a dip in vote share attributable to multiple newcomers in Reform, the Scottish Family Party and two independents.  One of the independents was ex-Tory MP Ross Thomson, who was briefly the member for Aberdeen South from 2017-19.  He couldn't even beat the other independent and finished fifth on first preferences.

Karl - Con HOLD ✘

Rich - SNP GAIN ✔

Horwich North, Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council

Ind: 1,186 (50.0%) +10.8%

Ref: 541 (22.8%) -2.8%

Lab: 343 (14.5%) +3.4%

Grn: 189 (8.0%) -4.1%

Con: 71 (3.0%) -2.3%

LDm: 27 (1.1%) -0.4%

Ind: 13 (0.5%) New

Ind HOLD

An easy defence for local independent group the Horwich and Blackrod First Independents.  The incumbent had been elected under that banner, but later left to serve as an independent independent.  He resigned from the council in May.

Karl - Ind HOLD ✔

Rich - Ind HOLD ✔

Weaver & Cuddington, Cheshire West and Chester Council

Ind: 1,365 (35.7%) New

Con: 974 (25.5%) +3.7%

Ref: 778 (20.3%) New

Lab: 564 (14.7%) -5.8%

LDm: 142 (3.7%) -11.9%

Ind GAIN from Con

Triggered by the resignation of the Tory incumbent due to 'a change in professional and personal circumstances'.  He was elected in 2023, having finished third and taking the third and final available seat.  Independent candidates have finished in first place here since 2019 and that remained the case on Thursday, with the Conservatives closing on them slightly, despite an impressive new entry from Reform.

Karl - Ind GAIN ✔

Rich - Ind GAIN ✔

St Michael's, Cotswold District Council

LDm: 344 (58.4%) -10.0%

Con: 112 (19.0%) -12.5%

Ref: 91 (15.4%) New

Grn: 27 (4.6%) New

Lab: 15 (2.5%) New

LDm HOLD

Three new entries took votes away from the only parties that contested this seat in 2023, but it was a routine hold for the Lib Dems nonetheless.  A change of career led to the resignation of their incumbent, who had a very impressive local government record dating back 15 years to when he was first elected at just 18 years of age.  He was the UK's youngest mayor and was also the council leader for six years.  He simultaneously stood down as a Gloucestershire county councillor, with that by-election also held on Thursday (see Cirencester Park below).

Karl - LDm HOLD ✔

Rich - LDm HOLD ✔

St Leonards & St Ives, Dorset Council

Con: 928 (37.9%) -25.0%

Ref: 823 (33.6%) New

LDm: 629 (25.7%) -11.4%

Grn: 68 (7.8%) +2.8%

Con HOLD

Triggered by the death of the incumbent, who was in his 80s.  He was elected in 2023 as one of two councillors in this ward, as the Conservatives defeated the only other candidates - two Lib Dems.  The victorious candidate this time was the deceased's elderly widow, who finished comfortably ahead of second placed Reform despite a significant swing to the newcomers.

Karl - Con HOLD ✔

Rich - LDm GAIN ✘

Cirencester Park, Gloucestershire County Council

LDm: 1,369 (58.7%) +6.6%

Con: 429 (18.4%) +2.9%

Ref: 366 (15.7%) -5.7%

Grn: 111 (4.8%0 -1.2%

Lab: 59 (2.5%) -2.6%

LDm HOLD

The incumbent was also a Cotswold district councillor (see St Michael's above) and resigned from both seats simultaneously.  He won this seat for the Lib Dems comfortably in 2025 and his successor held with an expanded share of the vote.  Another wooden spoon for Labour.

Karl - LDm HOLD ✔

Rich - LDm HOLD ✔

Lutterworth East, Harborough District Council

Ref: 403 (28.2%) +21.5%

Con: 386 (27.0%) +4.5%

Lab: 271 (19.0%) -13.4%

LDm: 270 (18.9%) -11.6%

Grn: 97 (6.8%) -0.9%

Ref GAIN from Lab

This contest was triggered by the death of the incumbent, aged 79, which had a huge impact on the council.  His passing meant that the Lib Dem-led rainbow coalition was no longer the largest group on the council and the Conservatives wasted no time in raising a motion to dislodge the council leader.  The Lib Dems had been leading a coalition of Labour, Green and one independent councillor as a minority administration.  With Labour losing this seat to Reform, the finely balanced numbers remain in the Tories' favour and they can continue with their own minority administration.  All three of the rainbow parties saw their vote share take a dip here, with Labour plummeting to third.

Karl - Ref GAIN ✔

Rich - LDm GAIN ✘

Glantwymyn, Powys County Council

Pld: 513 (81.8%) -18.2%

Ref: 63 (10.0%) New

Con: 28 (4.5%) New

LDm: 23 (3.7%) New

Pld HOLD

The first of three Powys by-elections triggered by the incumbents having been elected to the Senedd on May 7.  Plaid were elected to this rural ward unopposed in 2022 and it was a routine hold for them on Thursday, despite the presence of three new entries.

Karl - Pld HOLD ✔

Rich - Pld HOLD ✔

Llanyre with Nantmel, Powys County Council

Ref: 359 (41.6%) New

LDm: 226 (26.2%) -20.1%

Con: 210 (24.3%) New

Ind: 51 (5.9%) New

Grn: 18 (2.1%) New

Ref GAIN from Ind

A nice result for Reform in rural Wales, turning a defection into a gain.  The incumbent vacated the seat, having been elected to the Senedd for Reform - but how long she maintains that banner remains to be seen.  She was first elected to this ward in 2017 as a Conservative, before defecting to the Abolish the Welsh Assembly Party in 2020 and standing for that party in the 2021 Senedd election.  By the time she defended her council seat in 2022, she had left Abolish and was elected as an independent.  Her most recent realignment occurred last year when she joined Reform, for whom she now sits in the Senedd.  Her only opponents in the 2022 Powys election were the Lib Dems.

Karl - Ref GAIN ✔

Rich - LDm GAIN ✘

Yscir with Honddu Isaf & Llanddew, Powys County Council

LDm: 297 (39.7%) -1.1%

Ref: 259 (34.6%) New

Pld: 96 (12.8%) New

Con: 68 (9.1%) -50.2%

Grn: 15 (2.0%) New

Lab: 14 (1.9%) New

LDm GAIN from Con

Another vacancy arising from the incumbent being elected to the Senedd for Reform UK.  Elected as a Conservative councillor in 2022, he defected to Reform in 2025.  He won his council seat in a head-to-head with the Lib Dems, but the ballot paper was much more crowded on Thursday.  The Tories ended up slumping to fourth, while Reform went straight in at second and lost out by just 38 votes.

Karl - Ref GAIN ✘

Rich - LDm GAIN ✔

Malinslee & Dawley Bank, Telford and Wrekin Council

Lab: 590 (42.9%) -32.2% Ref: 569 (41.4%) New Con: 104 (7.6%) -10.3% Grn: 76 (5.5%) New LDm: 35 (2.5%) -4.4%

Lab HOLD

A narrow 21 vote hold for Labour as they saw their majority crumble with a colossal swing to Reform.  The incumbent Labour councillor has been the town's MP for the last two years, but unlike Scotland and Wales - where Holyrood and Senedd members are forced to relinquish council roles - there is no such mechanism for Westminster MPs.  He only stood down from the council following his recent appointment as a government whip, and even then only after being 'advised' to do so.  His wife continues to serve as a councillor for the same ward.

Karl - Ref GAIN ✘

Rich - Lab HOLD ✔

Llantarnam, Torfaen County Borough Council

Ref: 505 (42.7%) New Lab: 362 (30.6%) +3.4% Pld: 190 (16.1%) -1.6% Con: 58 (4.9%) New Grn: 49 (4.1%) -6.8%

LDm: 18 (1.5%) New

Ref GAIN from Ind

This week's fourth and final vacancy triggered by the election of the incumbent to the Senedd, again for Reform UK.  And again, the new MS was never elected as a Reform councillor.  The journeyman was initially elected in 2017 as an independent, joined the Conservatives a year later and then quit the party the following year.  He was elected as an independent again in a 2023 by-election, before joining Reform the following year.  Regardless of the incumbent's back and forth, Reform turned this contest into an impressive gain at the first time of asking.  No independents stood this time, while Labour selected a candidate who is barred from social work due to sexual misconduct.  Worrying that he finished a strong second.

Karl - Grn GAIN ✘

Rich - Ref GAIN ✔

Karl led Richey by three points going into week seven, having correctly predicted 29 results from the 54 seats contested since May 7.  Richey has managed to claw a point back, correctly predicting nine results against Karl's eight and moving back up above the 50 per cent accuracy mark.

COUNCIL RESULTS

23 council authorities held elections on Thursday, the vast majority of them county councils.  Labour were defending just one - the City of Doncaster - which they lost to Reform with a huge swing.  Ed Miliband and the rest of the local Labour MPs are likely to be toast based on these results, although a lot can change in four years.

The astonishing level of support for Reform meant that zero councils at the start of the day turned into ten by the end of it.  Eight of those gains came from the Conservatives, who had an exceptionally torrid day, losing control of every single council they were defending.  While Reform had an overall net gain of 677 council seats, the Tories had a net loss of 676.  It's no coincidence that these two figures are so close.  Reform are not just a threat to Labour, they are demolishing the Conservatives as well.

The only other party that won control of any councils on Thursday was the Lib Dems, who gained three in total.

The results are as follows.  The figures provided are the total number of council seats won per party and the difference in brackets from previous local elections.

Buckinghamshire County Council

Con: 46 (-31)

LDm: 27 (+19)

Ind: 13 (+6)

Lab: 5 (+1)

Ref: 3 (+3)

Grn: 3 (+2)

NOC GAIN from Con

Cambridgeshire County Council

LDm: 31 (+11)

Ref: 10 (+10)

Con: 10 (-18)

Lab: 5 (-4)

Grn: 3 (+3)

Ind: 2 (-2)

LDm GAIN from NOC

City of Doncaster Council

Ref: 37 (+37)

Lab: 12 (-28)

Con: 6 (-5)

Ind: 0 (-4)

Ref GAIN from Lab

Cornwall Council

Ref: 28 (+28)

LDm: 26 (+13)

Ind: 16 (n/c)

Con: 7 (-40)

Lab: 4 (-1)

Grn: 3 (+2)

MebK: 3 (-2)

NOC HOLD

Derbyshire County Council

Ref: 42 (+42)

Con: 12 (-33)

LDm: 3 (-1)

Lab: 3 (-11)

Ind: 2 (+2)

Grn: 2 (+1)

Ref GAIN from Con

Devon County Council

LDm: 27 (+18)

Ref: 18 (+18)

Con: 7 (-32)

Grn: 6 (+4)

Ind: 2 (-1)

Lab: 0 (-7)

NOC GAIN from Con

Durham County Council

Ref: 65 (+65)

LDm: 14 (+1)

Ind: 12 (-14)

Lab: 4 (-38)

Grn: 2 (+1)

Con: 1 (-15)

Ref GAIN from NOC

Gloucestershire County Council

LDm: 27 (+11)

Ref: 11 (+11)

Grn: 9 (+5)

Con: 6 (-24)

Ind: 1 (+1)

Lab: 1 (-4)

NOC HOLD

Hertfordshire County Council

LDm: 31 (+8)

Con: 22 (-24)

Ref: 14 (+14)

Grn: 5 (+4)

Lab: 5 (-2)

Ind: 1 (n/c)

NOC GAIN from Con

Kent County Council

Ref: 57 (+57)

LDm: 12 (+6)

Grn: 5 (+1)

Con: 5 (-57)

Lab: 2 (-5)

Ind: 0 (-1)

RA: 0 (-1)

Ref GAIN from Con

Lancashire County Council

Ref: 53 (+53)

Ind: 9 (+9)

Con: 8 (-40)

Lab: 5 (-27)

LDm: 5 (+3)

Grn: 4 (+2)

Ref GAIN from Con

Leicestershire County Council

Ref: 25 (+25)

Con: 15 (-27)

LDm: 11 (+2)

Lab: 2 (-2)

Grn: 1 (+1)

Ind: 1 (+1)

NOC GAIN from Con

Lincolnshire County Council

Ref: 44 (+44)

Con: 14 (-40)

LDm: 5 (+2)

Ind: 4 (-5)

Lab: 3 (-1)

Ref GAIN from Con

North Northamptonshire Council

Ref: 39 (+39)

Con: 13 (-37)

Grn: 8 (+5)

Lab: 4 (-8)

Ind: 1 (n/c)

LDm: 1 (+1)

Ref GAIN from Con

Northumberland County Council

Con: 26 (-10)

Ref: 23 (+23)

Lab: 8 (-12)

Ind: 7 (-1)

LDm: 3 (n/c)

Grn 2 (n/c)

NOC HOLD

Nottinghamshire County Council

Ref: 40 (+40)

Con: 17 (-19)

Lab: 4 (-10)

Ind: 2 (-1)

RA: 1 (-9)

LDm: 0 (-1)

Ref GAIN from Con

Oxfordshire County Council

LDm: 36 (+12)

Lab: 12 (-3)

Con: 10 (-15)

Grn: 7 (+4)

Ind: 2 (+1)

Ref: 1 (+1)

RA: 1 (n/c)

LDm GAIN from NOC

Shropshire County Council

LDm: 42 (+29)

Ref: 16 (+16)

Con: 7 (-38)

Grn: 4 (n/c)

Lab: 4 (-5)

Ind: 1 (-2)

LDm GAIN from Con

Staffordshire County Council

Ref: 49 (+49)

Con: 10 (-46)

Grn: 1 (+1)

Ind: 1 (n/c)

Lab: 0 (-4)

Ref GAIN from Con

Warwickshire County Council

Ref: 23 (+23)

LDm: 14 (+9)

Con: 9 (-33)

Grn: 7 (+4)

Lab: 3 (-3)

RA: 1 (n/c)

NOC GAIN from Con

West Northamptonshire Council

Ref: 42 (+42)

Con: 17 (-35)

Lab: 9 (-9)

LDm: 6 (+2)

Ind: 2 (n/c)

Ref GAIN from Con

Wiltshire County Council

LDm: 43 (+16)

Con: 37 (-24)

Ref: 10 (+10)

Ind: 7 (n/c)

Lab: 1 (-2)

NOC GAIN from Con

Worcestershire County Council

Ref: 27 (+27)

Con: 12 (-33)

Grn: 8 (+5)

LDm: 6 (+2)

Ind: 2 (n/c)

Lab: 2 (-1)

NOC GAIN from Con

COUNCIL BY-ELECTIONS 14.11.24

A dozen seats were up for election on Thursday, with Labour defending nine of them.  Two of those fell - both to the Lib Dems - and in both instances (Edinburgh and Oxfordshire) Labour crashed to third place.  Labour's vote share was down in all the seats it contested, except for two seats in Ayrshire.

Colinton & Fairmilehead, City of Edinburgh Council

(First preference votes)

LDm: 2,683 (36.3%) +23.8%

Con: 1,454 (19.6%) -10.3%

Lab: 1,441 (19.5%) -13.9%

SNP: 800 (10.8%) -6.4%

Grn: 393 (5.3%) -0.1%

Ref: 268 (3.6%) New

Ind: 173 (2.3%) New

Ind: 57 (0.8%) New

SFP: 51 (0.7%) -0.9%

Ind: 50 (0.7%) New

Ind: 22 (0.3%) New

SLP: 9 (0.1%) New

LDm GAIN from Lab (elected stage TBC)

Calver & Longstone, Derbyshire Dales District Council

Con: 290 (47.6%) +2.2%

Grn: 263 (43.2%) -11.4%

Lab: 56 (9.2%) New

Con GAIN from Grn

Doon Valley, East Ayrshire Council

(First preference votes)

Lab: 516 (32.4%) +9.1%

Con: 410 (25.6%) +8.9%

SNP: 379 (23.7%) +2.9%

Ind: 172 (10.7%) New

LDm: 68 (4.2%) New

Grn: 48 (3.0%) New

Ind: 9 (0.6%) New

Lab HOLD (elected stage TBC)

Kilmarnock West & Crosshouse, East Ayrshire Council

(First preference votes)

Lab: 1,213 (39.4%) +11.1%

SNP: 1,025 (33.3%) -5.1%

Con: 623 (20.2%) -1.8%

LDm: 145 (4.7%) New

Ind: 75 (2.4%) New

Lab HOLD (elected stage TBC)

Shooters Hill, Greenwich London Borough Council

Lab: 1,043 (57.9%) -1.6%

Con: 237 (13.2%) -0.8%

Grn: 185 (10.3%) -4.8%

Ref: 179 (9.9%) +7.1%

LDm: 158 (8.8%) +0.1%

Lab HOLD

Bradwell, Milton Keynes City Council

LDm: 1,129 (56.1%) +2.3%

Lab: 329 (16.3%) -8.6%

Ref: 228 (11.3%) New

Con: 226 (11.2%) -2.5%

Grn: 101 (5.0%) -2.5%

LDm HOLD

Broughton, Milton Keynes City Council

LDm: 1,169 (51.5%) +5.6%

Con: 541 (23.8%) -2.2%

Lab: 360 (15.9%) -5.5%

Grn: 138 (6.1%) +1.2%

Hrt: 61 (2.7%) +0.9%

LDm HOLD

Wanstead Park, Redbridge London Borough Council

Lab: 934 (46.9%) -5.5%

Con: 349 (17.5%) -1.5%

Ind: 284 (14.2%) New

Grn: 222 (11.1%) -7.5%

LDm: 109 (5.5%) -4.6%

Ref: 95 (4.8%) New

Lab HOLD

Hadley & Leegomery, Telford and Wrekin Council

Lab: 778 (45.3%) -11.8%

Con: 539 (31.4%) +16.7%

Ref: 274 (15.9%) New

Grn: 75 (4.4%) -3.1%

LDm: 53 (3.1%) New

Lab HOLD

The Nedge, Telford and Wrekin Council

Lab: 636 (33.8%) -20.6%

Con: 620 (33.0%) +7.0%

Ref: 427 (22.7%)  New

Grn: 84 (4.5%) New

Ind: 61 (3.2%) -6.6%

LDm: 53 (2.8%) -7.0%

Lab HOLD

Whitburn & Blackburn, West Lothian Council

(First preference votes)

Lab: 1,093 (30.9%) -6.7%

SNP: 1,022 (28.9%) -9.8%

Ref: 578 (16.3%) New

Ind: 421 (11.9%) New

Con: 239 (6.7%) -11.7%

LDm: 97 (2.7%) +0.3%

Grn: 92 (2.6%) -0.5%

Lab HOLD (elected stage 7)

Chipping Norton, West Oxfordshire District Council

LDm: 403 (31.3%) +24.6%

Con: 383 (29.7%) +9.0%

Lab: 350 (27.2%) -34.2%

Grn: 152 (11.8%) +0.5%

LDm GAIN from Lab

Abbreviations

LDm = Liberal Democrat

Con = Conservative

Lab = Labour

SNP = Scottish National Party

Grn = Green

Ref = Reform UK

SFP = Scottish Family Party

SLP = Scottish Libertarian Party

Hrt = Heritage

Ind = Independents

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 06.10.22

Six council by-elections to report this week, with Labour and the Conservatives defending two each.  It was a routine hold for Labour in inner city Birmingham, but they lost to Plaid Cymru in Ceredigion.  Labour had previously been elected to the latter unopposed, but slipped to third place when presented with Plaid and Lib Dem opposition.

It was another week to forget for the Tories, losing a seat to Labour in Shropshire and clinging on to another, in Somerset, by just four votes.  Labour had stood aside in the latter, allowing the Lib Dems a clear run.

In other action the Lib Dems held a seat in Eastbourne and an independent group held firm in Dorset.

Sparkbrook & Balsall Heath East, Birmingham City Council

Lab: 2,410 (69.6%) +2.0%

LDem: 517 (14.9%) +10.6%

Con: 305 (8.8%) -14.6%

WPB: 158 (4.6%) New

Grn: 72 (2.1%) -1.6%

Lab HOLD

Highcliffe & Walkford, BCP Council (Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole)

Ind: 1,778 (62.0%) +13.0%

LDem: 571 (19.9%) +9.5%

Con: 358 (12.5%) -20.1%

Lab: 163 (5.7%) -2.4%

Ind HOLD

Lampeter, Ceredigion County Council

Plaid: 291 (39.5%)

LDem: 268 (36.4%)

Lab: 160 (21.7%)

Ind: 18 (2.4%)

Plaid GAIN from Lab (Lab previously elected unopposed)

St Anthony's, Eastbourne Borough Council

LDem: 972 (49.6%) -2.9%

Con: 513 (26.2%) +8.3%

Grn: 420 (21.4%) New

UKIP: 55 (2.8%) -7.5%

LDem HOLD

Butleigh & Baltonsborough, Mendip District Council

Con: 393 (50.3%) -2.3%

LDem: 389 (49.7%) +16.5%

Con HOLD

Bridgnorth West & Talsey, Shropshire Council

Lab: 887 (55.9%) +6.0%

Con: 480 (30.2%) -4.5%

LDem: 176 (11.1%) -1.6%

Grn: 45 (2.8%) +0.2%

Lab GAIN from Con

Abbreviations

Lab = Labour

LDem = Liberal Democrat

Con = Conservative

WPB = Workers Party of Britain

Grn = Green

Plaid = Plaid Cymru

UKIP = United Kingdom Independence Party

Ind = Independents

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

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

ANTIFA CLOWNS ON THE MARCH

In the first of two YouTube videos this week, Karl has used material from our recent exposé of the Antifa march in Telford.  Watch below or on our channel.

RED FLAGS IN TELFORD

The red flags of the Communist Party of Britain were among the banners on display in Telford on Saturday as Antifa marched against the presence of Tommy Robinson.  Robinson was in Telford to premiere his documentary 'The Rape of Britain', which exposes Muslim grooming gangs at large in the Shropshire town.  By marching against Robinson in these circumstances, the far left have by proxy allied themselves with these disgusting rape gangs.  Left-wing historian Dr Louise Raw even told the crowd that grooming gangs were 'not a Muslim problem'.

Much of the chants that went up from the protesters revolved around refugees, which had little if anything to do with Robinson's message.  They also chanted "We are Telford" and "Our streets", as if to imply they were local people opposed to an outsider who had strayed into 'their town'.  However, as can clearly be seen from various banners on display, it was very much the left that had parachuted themselves in.  Large 'Stand Up To Racism' banners from Birmingham and the Black Country, alongside others from Coventry, Wolverhampton, Walsall and Dudley, suggested that the bulk of the protest had travelled up to 50 miles away from the West Midlands.

In a desperate attempt to smear their opponents the Antifa group tweeted a photo of a man it claimed was making a 'Nazi salute'.  His palm is facing towards his body in a motion more reminiscent of the royal wave and judging by the overwhelming majority of the comments on this tweet, it seems that even Antifa's supporters were not convinced by the ridiculous assertion.

Of course it goes without saying that the far left rabble were overwhelmingly white middle class misfits and despite being outdoors many of them were still wearing face masks.

Couldn't smash his way out of a paper bag

Robinson's documentary exposing the Telford grooming gang can be seen here.

BY-ELECTIONS 16.12.21

A huge swing to the Liberal Democrats in North Shropshire dealt a crushing blow to the embattled Conservatives in Thursday's Westminster by-election.  The Lib Dems came third here in 2019, but swept to victory in a previously safe Tory seat, more than trebling their vote from 5,643 to 17,957.  Labour slumped to an embarrassing third place, dropping 8,806 votes in a further blow to Keir Starmer's uninspiring leadership.

Helen Morgan is the first non-Tory to ever win this rural seat, first created in 1832, abolished in 1876 and then re-established in 1983.  The Conservative majority in 2019 was 22,949.

North Shropshire

Helen Morgan (LDem) 17,957 (47.2%) +37.2%

Neil Shastri-Hurst (Con) 12,032 (31.6%) -31.1%

Ben Wood (Lab) 3,686 (9.7%) -12.4%

Duncan Kerr (Grn) 1,738 (4.6%) +1.4%

Kirsty Walmsley (RefUK) 1,427 (3.8%) New

Andrea Allen (UKIP) 378 (1.0%) New

Martin Daubney (Rec) 375 (1.0%) New

Alan Howling Laud Hope (Loon) 118 (0.3%) New

Suzie Akers-Smith (Ind) 95 (0.2%) New

James Elliot (Herit) 79 (0.2%) New

Boris Been Bunged (Rejoin) 58 (0.2%) New

Earl Jesse (Freedom) 57 (0.1%) New

Russell Dean 19 (Party) 0.1 New

Yolande Kenward (Ind) 3 (0.0%) New

There were twelve council by-elections on Thursday - seven Conservative defences, four Labour defences and a free-for-all.

Of those seven Tory defences, they lost four and held three.  Of those four defeats, they lost three to the Lib Dems and one to the Greens.

Labour held three of their four defences (although one of those wins is now void).  They lost a seat to an independent who came from nowhere to win a seat in South Wales.  Labour also gained the free-for-all in Middlesbrough after the independent incumbent had vacated the seat.

Now, let's discuss that void result in Walsall.  The contest was a straightforward battle between Labour and the Tories.  However, the Labour candidate was employed by Walsall Council and should have resigned prior to the election in order to be eligible to serve as a councillor.  Having failed to do so, she could not accept the post she had easily won.  Simran Cheema apologised to ward residents and claimed that she had been unaware her part-time job at a Walsall library barred her from standing.  The farce cost an estimated £20,000 and the seat will now remain vacant until the next local elections in May 2022.

Labour's Simran Cheema at last night's count in Walsall, which turned out to be
a costly waste of time

Lomond North, Argyll and Bute Council

(First preference votes)

Con: 742 (40.7%) +11.3%

SNP: 459 (25.2%) +5.0%

Ind: 418 (22.9%) New

Ind: 259 (11.2%) New

Con HOLD (elected at stage 4)

Highfield, Ashford Borough Council

Grn: 191 (40.0%) +21.2%

Con: 163 (34.1%) -7.0%

Ind: 101 (21.1%) -7.4%

Lab: 23 (4.8%) New

Grn GAIN from Con

Caerau, Bridgend County Borough Council

Ind: 515 (48.8%) New

Lab: 441 (41.8%) -6.4%

Plaid: 82 (7.8%) -10.7%

Con: 18 (1.7%) New

Ind GAIN from Lab

Roffey South, Horsham District Council

LDem: 462 (41.5%) +0.6%

Con: 335 (30.1%) -11.4%

Grn: 222 (19.9%) New

Lab: 95 (8.5%) -9.1%

LDem GAIN from Con

Armitage with Handsacre, Lichfield District Council

Con: 458 (60.3%) -2.2%

Lab: 301 (39.7%) +2.2%

Con HOLD 

Rochester East, Medway Council

Lab: 870 (63.3%) +15.2%

Con: 388 (28.2%) +8.7%

Grn: 69 (5.0%) -9.2%

LDem: 48 (3.5%) -2.8%

Lab HOLD

North Ormesby, Middlesbrough Council

Lab: 172 (74.5%) +47.7%

Ind: 32 (13.9%) +13.9%

Con: 20 (8.7%) +5.5%

LDem: 7 (3.0%) New

Lab GAIN from Ind

Hexham East, Northumberland County Council

LDem: 584 (47.3%) +11.7%

Con: 370 (30.0%) -13.9%

Lab: 154 (12.5%) -8.1%

Ind: 127 (10.3%) New

LDem GAIN from Con

Dawley & Aqueduct, Telford and Wrekin Council

Lab: 996 (55.8%) -6.1%

Con: 735 (41.2%) +3.0%

LDem: 55 (3.1%) +3.1%

Lab HOLD

Pleck, Walsall Council

Lab: 698 (64.6%) -15.5%

Con: 382 (35.4%) +15.5%

Lab HOLD (election VOID due to ineligibility of Labour candidate)

Tilehurst South & Holybrook, West Berkshire Council

Con: 548 (42.3%) -15.6%

Lab: 387 (29.9%) +4.8%

LDem: 359 (27.7%) +10.8%

Con HOLD

Nettleham, West Lindsey District Council

LDem: 585 (51.0%) +1.2%

Con: 374 (32.6%) -17.5%

Lab: 116 (10.1%) New

Grn: 71 (6.2%) New

LDem GAIN from Con

Abbreviations

LDem = Liberal Democrat

Con = Conservative

Lab = Labour

Grn = Green

RefUK = Reform UK

UKIP = UK Independence Party

Rec = Reclaim

Loon = Monster Raving Loony

Herit = Heritage

Rejoin = Rejoin EU

Freedom = Freedom Alliance

Party = The Party Party

SNP = Scottish National Party

Plaid = Plaid Cymru

Ind = Independents