Lib Dems gain seat from Conservatives with a 36% swing as 6 out of 8 seats change hands
After last week’s full slate of Lib Dem candidates, this week’s contestation rate slipped back to three quarters with six Lib Dem candidates in the eight seats. Disappointingly, that’s down one on when these seats were last fought.
The overall modest Lib Dem results across these eight seats – five Conservative defences, three Labour defences – does make this week a useful test of how broad the Lib Dem recovery is. Or, as Jonathan Calder would put it, a test of whether the party can score good third places (read his piece to see why that matters).
But even better than that, in a ward first fought in 1979 and won by the Conservatives in every contest until this week, something rather special happened:
Northchurch (Dacorum) result:
LDEM: 59.2% (+40.4)
CON: 28.2% (-32.1)
LAB: 10.5% (-1.7)
GRN: 2.1% (-6.6)LDem GAIN from Con.
— Britain Elects (@BritainElects) March 8, 2018
Congratulations to Lara Pringle and the team. Here’s a little bit about Lara:
Lara Pringle lives in Northchurch and has done for over 15 years. She has two young sons who went to St Mary’s Primary School.
She has served as a parent governor and is well known in the village…
She is a barrister with 25 years experience and will be an effective advocate for the people of Northchurch.
Lara says, “It’s great to have a brilliant local team behind me! Thanks to everyone who is supporting my campaign, especially all the canvassers who this week have braved hailstones, freezing rain & biting wind. It certainly hasn’t dampened the enthusiasm of the local residents who are showing great support for us on the doorsteps.”
That wasn’t the only Conservative loss:
Petersfield Bell Hill (East Hampshire) result:
IND: 32.7% (+32.7)
LDEM: 28.3% (+14.3)
CON: 26.7% (-20.8)
LAB: 10.3% (-4.9)
UKIP: 2.0% (-10.1)Independent GAIN from Conservative.
— Britain Elects (@BritainElects) March 8, 2018
Oakham South East (Rutland) result:
IND: 59.5% (+59.5)
CON: 40.5% (+5.1)Independent GAIN from Conservative.
No other Ind(s) (-35.6) and LDem (-29.1) as prev.
— Britain Elects (@BritainElects) March 8, 2018
Even a rare pair of Labour gains from the Conservatives:
Rochester West (Medway) result:
LAB: 47.5% (+26.5)
CON: 39.5% (-4.0)
LDEM: 4.7% (+1.0)
GRN: 4.2% (-6.1)
UKIP: 4.1% (-16.2)Labour GAIN from Conservative.
— Britain Elects (@BritainElects) March 8, 2018
Wollaton West (Nottingham) result:
LAB: 48.8% (+10.1)
CON: 43.4% (+8.2)
LDEM: 5.3% (-1.8)
GRN: 1.6% (-8.1)
BPEP: 0.9% (+0.9)Labour GAIN from Conservative.
— Britain Elects (@BritainElects) March 9, 2018
But Labour also lost a seat:
Farnworth & Kearsley First GAIN Farnworth (Bolton) from Labour.
— Britain Elects (@BritainElects) March 8, 2018
Farnworth (Bolton) result:
FAKF: 47.5% (+47.5)
LAB: 38.2% (-10.2)
UKIP: 6.7% (-29.7)
CON: 6.0% (-2.6)
LDEM: 0.9% (-2.1)
GRN: 0.7% (-2.8)— Britain Elects (@BritainElects) March 9, 2018
As for the other Lib Dem performances:
Droylsden East (Tameside) result:
LAB: 61.5% (+7.4) HOLD
CON: 30.5% (+30.5)
GRN: 6.1% (-1.5)
LDEM: 1.9% (+1.9)No UKIP (-32.5) and Ind (-5.7) as prev.
Chgs. w/ 2015— Britain Elects (@BritainElects) March 8, 2018
Elsewhere, with no Lib Dem candidates:
Little Parndon & Hare Street (Harlow) result:
LAB: 62.2% (+7.9)
CON: 31.4% (+5.2)
UKIP: 6.4% (-13.1)Labour HOLD.
— Britain Elects (@BritainElects) March 8, 2018
The overall verdict on the Lib Dem performance then? Up in four seats, down in three (including the one where there was no candidate this time). In amongst the first one was one seat gain on a huge swing and another move up to a very promising second. Both of those were in seats that used to be Conservative, whilst weakest performance was generally up against Labour. May’s local elections will put this pattern to a much bigger test, and suggests the Lib Dem performance may end up being a story of primarily two performances – with the pattern against the Conservatives in southern England and the pattern against Labour in Labour strongholds and urban areas.
One thing that wasn’t mixed this week was the Conservatives results: five defences, five loses.
These by-election results round-ups cover principal authority by-elections. See my post The danger in celebrating parish and town council wins for your own party for the reasons to avoid straying too often into covering town, parish or community council by-elections.
Herts Lib Dems are changing our county one ward at a time. Voters are coming our way and our professionalism is developing.
As for a ‘test of Lib Dem recovery’, if Northchurch was an indicator, bring it on should be our stance!
Well done. Nd thanks to all who stood to keep the flag flying!
The Northchurch result whilst being absolutely fabulous should not be regarded too much as a beacon for the future …. unless? Lara Pringle was an excellent candidate because she is really well known in the local community having a proven track record of school governship. With two young boys Lara will have related to Mums, ( and Dads!) having other school children; it helped her being so well known in the village. The party needs more candidates of this calibre, get out there members and become involved locally!
The Rutland seat -at least in paper- looked as a perfect target for the Lib Dems. While it’s dissapointing to see that there was no official Lib Dem candidate this time, maybe the anti-Tory forces coalesced behind a winnable independent candidate, there.
What is Labour doing to hold and increase their vote?Are they campaigning on Brexit or national and local issues? Yes we do need more people who are really involved in their areas.
On another issue- pity this Nigel did not win a prize.!! Pity.