Lib Dems gain another council seat from Conservatives with huge swing
Following an unusual Tuesday council by-election (a big Lib Dem win, woop), Thursday brought another five council by-elections, along with a Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) by-election.
Across all these contests there was a full slate of Liberal Democrat candidates – excellent news for the party’s continued rebuilding.
You can help that rebuilding stretch further into some of our weakest areas with my special appeal in conjunction with ALDC.
Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner
Triggered by Vera Baird’s appointment as Victims’ Commissioner for England and Wales, this contest saw Jonathan Wallace stand for the Liberal Democrats.
Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner first preferences:
LAB: 37.9% (-17.4)
IND: 21.9% (+21.9)
CON: 21.6% (+3.6)
LDEM: 18.6% (+7.9)No UKIP (-16.0) as prev.
Chgs. w/ 2016Lab and Ind proceed to second round.
— Britain Elects (@britainelects) July 19, 2019
Turnout is low:
Newcastle City Council confirms one of its ballot boxes for the police and crime commissioner elections had no votes in it at all. Completely empty. https://t.co/Aux1jAipUU
— Francesca Williams (@cannyfrank) July 19, 2019
Final round result:
Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner result:
LAB: 52.2%
IND: 47.8%Labour HOLD. https://t.co/pO0qjFg6KC
— Britain Elects (@britainelects) July 19, 2019
Downs North, Ashford
Adrian Gee-Turner was the Liberal Democrat candidate.
Downs North (Ashford) result:
CON: 37.4% (-10.0)
GRN: 31.0% (+7.5)
LDEM: 11.4% (-7.3)
ASHI: 10.9% (+10.9)
UKIP: 3.6% (+3.6)
LAB: 2.8% (-7.6)Conservative HOLD.
— Britain Elects (@britainelects) July 18, 2019
Llanbadarn Fawr Sulien, Ceredigion
Michael Chappell stood for the Liberal Democrats and scored a good vote increase:
Llanbadarn Fawr Sulien (Ceredigion) result:
PC: 63.3% (-7.4)
LDEM: 31.6% (+16.3)
LAB: 5.1% (-3.6)Plaid Cymru HOLD.
— Britain Elects (@britainelects) July 18, 2019
Back when I was working in Ceredigion, Iād have said this was our second weakest ward in the Greater Aber area (after Bronglais), so this is huge.
— Greg Foster š¶ (@LibFozzy) July 18, 2019
Brixworth, Daventry
Jonathan Harris was the Liberal Democrat candidate. And wow, what a result:
#dogsonpollingday #Brixworthbyelection @LibDems @DaventryLibDems #dogsatpollingstations Great work from all the team today. #finalpush #italianspinone we can do this! pic.twitter.com/tvr2yfiKcl
— Jonathan Harris Lib Dem Candidate Brixworth Ward (@jharrislibdem) July 18, 2019
— Liberal Democrat Maps š¶ (@LDMaps) July 18, 2019
Brixworth (Daventry) result:
LDEM: 49.5% (+38.6)
CON: 37.3% (-28.2)
LAB: 13.2% (-10.5)Liberal Democrat GAIN from Conservative.
— Britain Elects (@britainelects) July 18, 2019
Westbury North, Wiltshire
Carole King was the Liberal Democrat hoping to hold this Lib Dem seat in a by-election caused by the resignation of Cllr David Jenkins. And she did:
Westbury North (Wiltshire) result:
LDEM: 52.4% (-5.6)
IND (Cunningham): 24.8% (+24.8)
CON: 15.0% (-14.0)
LAB: 6.1% (-6.9)
IND (Morland): 1.7% (+1.7)Liberal Democrat HOLD.
— Britain Elects (@britainelects) July 18, 2019
Delighted that @LibDems candidate Carole King has just won the by-election in Westbury North @WiltsLibDems
LD 488 – 52.36%
IC 231 – 24.79%
Con 140 – 15.02%
Lab 57 – 6.12%
FM 16 – 1.72%Turnout 24.4%
Carole will be an excellent advocate & councillor pic.twitter.com/kV78yAd9ij
— š¶ South West Wiltshire Lib Dems š¶ (@SWWiltsLibDems) July 18, 2019
East Sheen, Richmond upon Thames
The death of Mona Adams triggered this by-election for a Lib Dem held seat, fought by Julia Cambridge:
Liberal Democrat HOLD East Sheen (Richmond-upon-Thames) with 59% (+13) of votes.
CON were 2nd on 35% (-12), WEP 3rd on 3% (+3) & LAB 4th on 3% (-4). pic.twitter.com/qE03vXmVYa
— Election Maps UK (@ElectionMapsUK) July 18, 2019
As Lewis Baston writes:
East Sheen is part of the Richmond Park parliamentary constituency, often the scene of a battle royal between the Lib Dems and the Conservatives. A Lib Dem council seat win on this scale is worrying for the incumbent Tory MP Zac Goldsmith, who lost the seat in a famous 2016 by-election and regained it in the 2017 general election by a margin of only 45 votes. In the next general election he will face a third contest against Lib Dem Sarah Olney, who defeated him in 2016.
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.
Downs North, would that be next to/near to Brighton? Perhaps that is one place where we should have shown goodwill and stepped back in favour of the Greens. – As clear an example as any of where FPTP enabled an unjustified Tory win.
East Sheen and Westbury North are both real wins with over 50% of the vote.. How many Councillors or MPs have 50% +.?