In Barnstaple, we secured victory, successfully defending the seat. Well done to Josh Rutty and the local team for ensuring this seat remained in Liberal Democrats’ control.
North Devon DC, Barnstaple with Westacott
Liberal Democrats (Josh Rutty): 505 (40.5%, +0.5)
Reform UK: 383 (30.7%, new)
Conservative: 205 (16.4%, -6.1)
Green Party: 154 (12.3%, -2.4)
Liberal Democrat HOLD
Turnout: 22.27%
In Warrington, there was a close-fought battle between Reform UK and Labour, with the former coming out on top. Thank you to David Crowther and the local team for flying the Liberal Democrat flag.
Warrington BC, Bewsey & Whitecross
Reform UK: 752 (43.7%, new)
Labour: 631 (36.6%, -22.6)
Liberal Democrat (David Crowther): 223 (13.0%, -8.4)
Conservative: 116 (6.7%, -12.7)
Reform UK GAIN from Labour
Turnout: 18%
This week, there was one by-election without a Liberal Democrat candidate. Here are the results:
Barking & Dagenham LBC, Thames View
Labour: 334 (36.1%, -25.9)
Green Party: 277 (29.9%, new)
Reform UK: 197 (21.3%, new)
Conservative: 117 (12.6%, -10.6)
Labour HOLD
Turnout: 23.92%
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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For those interested more than one week’s results here is data for the last fifty local by-elections up to the end of July.
Percentage Vote Share:
Reform 28.63%, Labour 18.73%, Conservatives 18.31%, Liberal Democrats 17.28%, Greens 9.05%, Others 8.00%
Gains and losses are:
Reform: Net gain of twelve: 15 gains, 0 held, 3 lost
Lib Dems: No change: 1 gain; 10 held, 1 lost
Greens: No change: 1 gain; 2 held, 1 lost
Conservatives: Net loss of one: 5 gains; 6 held; 6 lost
Independents: Net loss of two: 1 gain; 1 held, 3 lost
Labour: Net loss of eight: 0 gains; 7 held; 8 lost
Others: Net loss of one: 0 gains; 1 held; 1 lost
Seats Won:
Reform won 15 seats, Conservatives 11 seats; Liberal Democrats 11, Labour 7, Greens 3, Independents 2, Others 1
This data is for the most recent 50 by-elections in England & Wales (19th June to 31st July). Parish/Town councils are not included.
What the hell happened in Warrington?! We were 2nd place at 22% last time. From looking it up it was our best ward outside of those we hold, and it’s in a parliamentary seat were we have quite allot of councillors so should be working it up to become winnable in future. The whole region should have been throwing the kitchen sink at it!
Were our many members in neighbouring greater Manchester and Merseyside too lazy to help or did the local party not even try to mobilize people?
On the Warrington result – could this be Tactical Voting to keep Reform out ? It nearly worked, if so.
David Crowther, though a useful committee-sitter, only agreed to stand as a paper candidate to “fly the flag” this time,
It is also possible that we lost 8pc straight to Reform. We must not be blind to the fact that this could happen.
To understand what went on in Warrington see
https://andrewspreviews.substack.com/p/previewing-the-three-council-by-elections-689
and https://www.andrewteale.me.uk/leap/ward/18040/
basically there where 3 Labour, 3 conservative and 1 Lib Dem in 2024. The Lib Dems got 8.6% of the actual votes cast in 2024, so 13% is an improvement.
The problem is however, Reform going from 0% to winning on the basis of vacuous promises and a photo of Farage.