Six principal council by-elections were held yesterday, five of which resulted in holds. There were two second place finishes for Liberal Democrats in Southwark (LB) and Hertfordshire (CC). In the London contest, Lauren Pemberton-Nelson polled 14.5% with an 8.2% vote share increase from 2014 in Faraday ward, with Labour holding their seat comfortably with over 60% of the vote. Shailain Shah was also a runner-up in the Bushey North by-election polling 19.9%, with an increased vote share of 5.8% from two years ago. The Conservatives held the seat with 52.6%.
The Tories also successfully defended a seat in Crowborough East ward in Wealden (DC) with 64% of the vote. Jane Clark came second for the Liberal Democrats with 24.5%, a vote share decrease of 10.1% from May.
Elsewhere, Labour made a gain from UKIP in Thanet (DC). They took the seat in Newington ward with 37.7% and a 59 vote majority, as UKIP’s vote share dropped by 14.2% from May. Jordan Williams polled 1.6% for the Liberal Democrats, with the party not having fielded a candidate earlier in the year. Labour also held a seat in Thatto Heath ward in St Helens (MB) with 71.1% of the vote.
In South Lanarkshire (UA), the SNP received 42.9% of the first preference votes as they held their seat in Hamilton North & East ward. Norman Rae received 1.8% of first preference votes, with no Lib Dem candidate being fielded in the ward’s previous election four years ago.
In addition to the principal council contests, the Liberal Democrats won the Valley ward by-election on Newhaven Town Council. Lib Dem Kristoph Von Kurthy won the seat with 45.3% of the vote.
Just one principal council by-election will take place next week. Labour will be defending a seat in Parkfield & Oxbridge ward in Stockton-on-Tees (UA), with Drew Durning standing as the Liberal Democrat candidate.
For a detailed list of last week’s results please click here. If you would like more information on all the forthcoming by-elections and details on who to contact for help, click here.
* ALDC is the Association of Liberal Democrat Councillors and Campaigners
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7 Comments
Well done those Lib Dems like Jordan Williams who in an area with UKIP, Tories and Labour all putting in mammoth efforts still kept the flag flying in a ward where no Lib Dem had been seen for ages. 16 votes is poor reward for the effort he put in….but he will start to build as part of the Lib Dem fightback I am sure. Thanks Jordan
I feel that the report on Crowborough East (para 2) is misleading unless we also know that Labour stood this time but not in May. We lost 10% & Labour got 11%.
I fail to see the usefulness of putting up reports of ‘second place’ results which are below 20 per cent vote share. Such results are little better than useless when the winner gets 50 or 60 per cent of the vote.
Re the Faraday by-election LB Southwark the bare description from ALDC cannot be denied. What the figures can’t convey is what a sensational candidate 18 year-old Lauren Pemberton-Nelson is for the future.
Liberal Democrats won the East ward of Hailsham Town Council with 43% of the vote.
Haisham is in the southern part of Wealden.
To add to Ruth Bright’s comment about Faraday ward in Southwark it should be understood that in a Labour fiefdom we came fifth in 2014 – after Greens, Conservatives and All Peoples’ Party (?). Lauren Pemberton-Nelson, an 18 year old new member in a campaign involving lots of other new members lifted us to second and, while a long way behind Labour, the clear challenge to them in the future. I think that is worth recording.
Given that it takes 10 electors’ signatures to be nominated – I’m afraid getting 12 votes is extremely depressing even given the parlous legacy of last May. Perhaps we could be told how much face to face canvassing was done – especially by the candidate. There surely has to be a minimum standard requirement of work and effort to be put in before one can be described as an official Liberal Democrat candidate.
This can’t be glossed over and no amount of empty talk of a fight back can disguise this. If it was merely a ‘paper’ campaign then one must question why we should sanction such self- immolation. It does nothing but encourage poor morale and derision.