There was only one by-election this week. This was caused by the former councillor being sentenced to over 12 months in prison and therefore was disqualified.
In Scotland, the Conservatives couldn’t hold this seat and their first preference votes slipped to sixth place. We secured a commanding victory, with SNP and Reform trailing well behind us. Congratulations are due to Councillor Ben Langmead and the local team for this strong result, ahead of Scottish Parliament elections in May.
East Dunbartonshire Council, Bearsden South
First preferences:
Liberal Democrats (Ben Langmead): 1,744 (38.1%, +14.9)
SNP: 789 (17.2%, –6.2)
Reform UK: 709 (15.5%, new)
Labour: 650 (14.2%, –1.9)
Scottish Greens: 371 (8.1%, +0.9)
Conservative: 283 (6.2%, –17.0)
Scottish Family Party: 35 (0.8%, new)
Liberal Democrat GAIN from Conservative
Elected at Stage 5
Turnout: 42.7%
Thank you to all of our candidates, agents, and campaign teams. A full summary of these results, and all other principal council by-elections, can be found on the ALDC by-elections page here.
* Liam Yip is the Campaigns and Communications Intern at ALDC
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11 Comments
Only 11 contests this Month, 3 taken by Reform, 3 by Us & the rest scattered among The Minor Parties.
For election nerds like me it would be interesting to see the actual count figures. Where can I find them?
I eventually found them but not directly, on the returning officer’s report. The transfers make fascinating reading. In particular the transfers from Green to SNP and from Labour to LibDems. Maybe there are lessons to learn about tactical voting and certainly about the merits of transerable votes.
Also interesting to note that we got the largest number of transfers from the Tories (slightly ahead of Reform).
Another election nerd here!
I think we are seeing a move towards ‘block politics.’ Much of the change in Tory and Reform poll figures has been people moving between the two parties, neither seem to be taking many votes from Labour or Lib Dems.
The transfers from Green to SNP are understandable given the parties recent coalition and support for independence. And not surpiring that Labour voters tranferred to Lib Dems rather than Tories or Reform, What is more significant is the left/right split in the Tory transfers, which seems to suggest there is still a substantial number of ‘moderate’ Tories who voted 1st for them, but are anti Reform and/or favourablke to Lib Dems.
What is the worse possible Gorton result for the Lib Dems.
To me that would be a Green win.
Best not to worry too much about Gorton & Denton and instead focus on the likely by-election in North East Somerset & Hanham (much more winnable for us).
@Alex Macfie
“likely by-election in North East Somerset & Hanham”
Exactly – at the moment it’s only a possible by-election.
Gorton & Denton is a long way from North East Somerset & Hanham and polling day is scheduled for 26 February. Of course we should contest it.
I never said we shouldn’t contest Gorton & Denton! All Parliamentary by-elections should be properly contested (regardless of the reason for the vacancy or anything else). Whether we should be targeting it is another matter, which I leave to the local campaigners. And the “worst” result for us and for the country would be a Reform gain.
A Reform win will not affect us. However a Green win will, adversely affecting part of OUR vote.
A Reform win will not affect our vote, whereas a Green will, adversely affecting us up and
down the country.