Lib Dems win council by-election in knife-edge finish as Labour slumps
Four council by-elections this week, one on a Wednesday, only two with Lib Dem candidates and the debut of Brexit Party local election candidates.
But those two Lib Dems secured quite a pair of results…
Farringdon Within,City of London
The Wednesday contest and, as is the norm in the City, the only political party putting up a candidate was Labour in amongst the phalanx of different independents:
Farringdon Within (City of London) result:
Ind (Edwards): 29.7%
Ind (Rounding): 29.4%
Ind (Barker): 17.5%
Lab: 14.7%
Ind (Murphy: 7.7%
Ind (Palmer): 1.0%Edwards got 85 votes, Rounding got 84.
Independent GAIN from Independenthttps://t.co/8ig3utFmUz
— Britain Elects (@BritainElects) July 25, 2019
Barnwood, Gloucester
Ashley Bowkett stood for the Lib Dems in a ward with a Brexit Party candidate and in an area that has traditionally been a Conservative-Lib Dem struggle.
He gained the seat this time, increasing the Lib Dem vote share by nearly half:
Barnwood (Gloucester) result:
LDEM: 46.5% (+15.1)
CON: 34.1% (-6.0)
BREX: 10.5% (+10.5)
LAB: 4.4% (-6.9)
GRN: 4.1% (-1.3)
UKIP: 0.4% (-11.2)Liberal Democrat GAIN from Conservative.
— Britain Elects (@BritainElects) July 25, 2019
Podsmead, Gloucester
Sebastian Field was the Lib Dem here, after no Lib Dem candidate last time in an area that has been a Labour-Conservative battle.
It was close, very close:
Just been told by a source the vote for Podsmead is split between Tories and Lib Dem’s.
“There are 3 votes in it” they said
— Leigh Boobyer (@LeighBoobyer) July 25, 2019
🚨LD GAIN: Lib Dem Sebastian Field GAINS Podsmead from Labour. He won by THREE votes over Tories.
Michael Byfield, Green: 29
Simon Collins, UKIP: 11
Byron Davis, Con: 200
Sebastian Field, LD: 203
Lisa Jevins, Lab: 122
Rob McCormick, Brexit Party: 111There were 3 spoilt ballots
— Leigh Boobyer (@LeighBoobyer) July 25, 2019
Podsmead (Gloucester) result:
LDEM: 30.0% (+30.0)
CON: 29.6% (-18.5)
LAB: 18.0% (-33.9)
BREX: 16.4% (+16.4)
GRN: 4.3% (+4.3)
UKIP: 1.6% (+1.6)Liberal Democrat GAIN from Labour.
— Britain Elects (@BritainElects) July 25, 2019
Hart, Hartlepool
The seven previous contests on these ward boundaries produced no Lib Dem candidate here. That didn’t change with the eighth contest this week.
Hart (Hartlepool) result:
LAB: 30.5% (+1.3)
INDU: 29.8% (+29.8)
GRN: 16.3% (+12.7)
FBM: 13.8% (+13.8)
UKIP: 9.5% (-17.7)Labour HOLD.
No Independent (-20.3) and Conservative (-19.7) as previous.
— Britain Elects (@BritainElects) July 25, 2019
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.
Podsmead is clear evidence that we must stand a candidate everywhere now(unless we have an arrangement).. and where the local party is moribund it is the responsibility of the Region to coordinate neighbouring parties to make it happen. Even if a win is unlikely it is still the best opportunity to find members and start a local party.
I notice that BP stood in areas where Lab con LibDem’s stood. Pick up the tory labour leave vote? LibDems get the rest ?Solid Lab cons remain with parties? Brexit or not we will have to have policies to cover a future election that could come in autumn. to campaign on.