A very mixed picture this week for the Lib Dems in the realm of local council by-elections. Ballots were cast across all corners of the kingdom most of which saw a Lib Dem candidate getting their teeth stuck into the contest. Concisely then, nine vacancies to fight, we stood in seven, succeeding in one. The results weren’t as good as we predicted but we can take solace in good campaigns being fought and celebrate the hard work put in by our local teams, knocking on doors, delivering leaflets, posting out focus leaflets and focusing on that squeeze vote.

The headline result of the week is undoubtedly Oundle where we secured our first councillor on the North Northamptonshire UA, what a fantastic night’s work. Only the best campaign from Charlie Best could have got the Lib Dems over the line. A 13% swing and a gain from the Conservatives rounded off a perfect night for the Oundle Lib Dem team.

After last Thursday's STONKING victory, Charlie Best is now the first Lib Dem Councillor on North Northamptonshire Council! pic.twitter.com/Lia2kegQLj

— ALDC (@ALDC) February 20, 2022

The inevitable ups and downs of the by-election universe were solidified over at Wigston Meadowcourt where the Lib Dems crashed down to earth. This defeat is a hard pill to swallow, albeit only a by-election which has the capability to throw up a rogue result, the magnitude of the defeat and the size of the swing makes for difficult reading. However, we still have 23 councillors out of 26 on Oadby and Wigston DC and Michael Phipps still finished a commendable second and will be back to fight another day.

You know it’s a quiet week for the Lib Dems on the by-election front when one of the most notable results of the week is that one has been delayed due to bad weather. Tavistock North on West Devon BC result has been delayed due to the perils of storm Eunice and counting was be concluded on Saturday. Peter Squire gained an impressive 337 votes but lost to the Conservatives who gained 379 votes, with the Greens at 163 and Labour at 85.

In North East Lincolnshire there was a hard-fought by-election which bought the three major parties to the playing field. Although the Conservatives held onto the Park ward seat as 3rd place finishes go this is one of the best; a 10% increase on last times outing and 26% of the overall vote share is a very laudable achievement. Ultimately, our commiserations go to Ryan Aisthorpe and the local team but well done for running such a steadfast campaign.

Over at Collingham, there were two by–elections due to the death of a long-standing Independent councillor. A tale of two halves in Collingham; Newark and Sherwood council saw a commendable second-place finish for Phil Barron and the team personified with a 34% vote share and on Nottinghamshire CC there was no Lib Dem candidate on the ballot paper. The precarious twists and turns of all things by-elections were played out over at Collingham this week.

It is also worth mentioning Thurston in Mid Suffolk was a Green Party hold and Southmead in Bristol went Labour’s way this time around. Thank you to Timothy Glenton and Gill Brooks respectively for putting their name in the hat for the Lib Dems in these by-elections.

* Paul Heilbron is a Campaigns and Communications Intern at ALDC