Liberal Democrats lose seat to independents in Cornwall
Council by-elections don’t wait for a general election, so we’ve got another six this week: two Liberal Democrat defences, one Labour defence and three formerly independent seats.
Marconi, Chelmsford
The ward is named after the famous inventor and is on the council which saw a dramatic Liberal Democrat victory in May. The defence of the seat by Smita Rajesh for the Lib Dems was, however, made trickier by the public falling out between the outgoing councillor and briefly Party President candidate Catherine Finnecy and the party.
In those circumstances, the result was an impressive hold:
Marconi (Chelmsford) result:
LDEM: 48.1% (-0.1)
CON: 26.6% (+0.4)
LAB: 13.3% (-12.3)
IND: 6.1% (+6.1)
GRN: 5.9% (+5.9)Liberal Democrat HOLD.
— Britain Elects (@BritainElects) November 8, 2019
Wadebridge West, Cornwall
Julia Fletcher, known to many Liberal Democrats in London for her previous stint as a councillor there, stood to defend this Lib Dem seat. Alas, she wasn’t successful this time:
Wadebridge West (Cornwall) result:
IND (Moorcroft): 38.5% (+38.5)
CON: 34.5% (-2.2)
LDEM: 17.5% (-31.6)
GRN: 8.6% (+0.8)
IND (Harris): 0.9% (+0.9)Independent GAIN from Liberal Democrat.
— Britain Elects (@BritainElects) November 8, 2019
Fairfield, Croydon
Andrew Rendle stood for the Liberal Democrats and took the party back up into third:
Fairfield (Croydon) result:
LAB: 40.8% (-10.2)
CON: 25.7% (-4.1)
LDEM: 19.1% (+10.0)
GRN: 11.4% (+1.3)
WEP: 1.9% (+1.9)
IND: 1.1% (+1.1)Labour HOLD.
— Britain Elects (@BritainElects) November 7, 2019
Hundleton, Pembrokeshire
Shirley Hammond-Williams stood for the Liberal Democrats, making her the party’s first candidate here since the ward came into being for the 2004 elections. Thank you Shirley!
Hundleton (Pembrokeshire) result:
IND (Alderman): 36.2% (+36.2)
CON: 21.1% (-4.5)
IND (Bush): 9.6% (+9.6)
LDEM: 9.4% (+9.4)
IND (Hancock): 7.6% (-2.6)
IND (Stenson): 6.1% (+6.1)
IND (Edwards): 5.8% (+5.8)
IND (Grange): 4.1% (-11.2)
IND (Nutting): 0.2% (+0.2)Ind GAIN from Ind.
— Britain Elects (@BritainElects) November 8, 2019
Lerwick South, Shetland
Beatrice Wishart, newly elected a Liberal Democrat MSP, has now stood down as a councillor. But as she’d run for the council without using the party label, this was technically an independent vacancy rather than a Lib Dem defence.
IND (F) GAIN Lerwick South (Shetland Islands) from IND with 33% (+33) of first preference votes.
Full Result:
IND (R): 35%
IND (F): 33
IND (V): 14% (+2)
IND (W): 11%
IND (H): 7% pic.twitter.com/6WnhvLWmUR— Election Maps UK (@ElectionMapsUK) November 8, 2019
Shetland Central, Shetland
In the same independent vein as Lerwick South, there was no Liberal Democrat candidate.
IND (Ly) GAIN Lerwick Central (Shetland Islands) from IND with 47% (+47) of first preference votes.
Full Result:
IND (Ly): 47%
IND (B): 16% (+4)
SNP: 15%
IND (La): 11%
IND (A): 11% pic.twitter.com/58M9nuCANq— Election Maps UK (@ElectionMapsUK) November 8, 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.
Wadebridge, read overnight the Independent was an Independent Liberal. Is that correct
Tory labour vote own ours holding up BUT FROM A LOW BASE. long way to go. This indie Lib v Lib dem would explain the loss of the seat. Would show a fierce independent streak in the area. We should co operate in Cornwall with the Indies,they are strong.