The onset of the parliamentary recess is upon us. A hiatus in the by-election schedule is just around the corner. 2021 is drawing to a conclusion. Therefore, it wouldn’t be naïve to think that the Lib Dems had wound up the victories for 2021. Nevertheless, this week’s local by-elections proved that not only do Liberal Democrats canvass all year but we also win all year round.

Central to our continued success is the fantastic work all our councillors, candidates and ardent supporters carry out without exception week in week out.

Rotherham provided a tectonic shift in the political landscape with a huge gain for the Liberal Democrats. We were propelled into second place in Torridge. Whilst Labour achieved gains from the Conservatives at Aughton & Swallownest and Old Bracknell.

Rotherham

Christmas parties at Number 10, Christmas parties at Anston and Woodsett in Rotherham, it really is the season to be jolly. The Lib Dem surge continues with another fantastic outing by Drew Tarmey and the whole team, congratulations on a sensational victory for the Liberal Democrats.

• Liberal Democrat (Drew Tarmey): 1,016 [38.6% , +18.9]
• Conservative: 686 [26.1% , -3.2]
• Labour: 533 [20.3% , +2.5]
• Independent Jepson: 189 [7.2% , -7.3]
• Independent Ireland: 118 [4.5% , -6.0]
• Green: 63 [2.4% , -5.0]
• Yorkshire: 20 [0.8% , -0.0]

Meanwhile, over at Rotherham’s second, by-election Labour gained the seat from the Conservatives. Thank you to Mark Lambett for being on the ballot paper for the liberal Democrats.

• Labour: 645 [49.8% , +10.2]
• Conservative: 496 [38.3% , +6.1]
• Green: 59 [4.6% , -0.0]
• Yorkshire: 35 [2.7% , -0.0]
• TUSC: 32 [2.5% , -0.0]
• Rotherham Democratic: 15 [1.2% , -15.3]
• Liberal Democrat (Mark Lambett): 14 [1.1% , -4.1]

Torridge, Devon

We turn our gaze to Torridge DC where Sam Newman-Mckie and the team were chipping away at the blue wall. Ultimately the Conservatives took the seat but an exemplary 9.9% increase in vote share and a second-place finish is worth the plaudits this time round.

• Conservative: 386 [38.7% , +19.1]
• Liberal Democrat (Sam Newman-McKie): 230 [23.1% , +9.9]
• Green: 224 [22.5% , +22.5]
• Labour: 103 [10.3% , -0.7]
• Independent: 54 [5.4% , -35.0]

Tonbridge and Bracknell

It was disappointing to see that in Tonbridge and Malling’s ward of Castle and Bracknell Forest BC there were no Liberal Democrat candidates on the ballot paper. It is fundamental to our ethos and crucial to our progress that we stand, at a minimum, a paper candidate in every contested election. In Tonbridge and Malling BC the Green party gained from the Conservatives and at Bracknell Forest Labour also gained from the Conservatives. In Tonbridge and Malling BC’s other election over at Kings Hill the seat was secured by the Conservatives once again. Thank you to Raja Zahidi for running for the Liberal Democrats.

Tonbridge and Malling BC – Castle

• Green: 731 [59.3% , +36.0]
• Conservative: 454 [36.8% , -7.3]
• Labour: 48 [3.9% , -5.0]

Bracknell Forest BC

• Conservative: 276 [38.9% , -9.3]
• Labour: 434 [61.1% , +23.2]

Tonbridge and Malling BC – Kings Hill

• Conservative: 740 [59.3% , +12.2]
• Independent: 316 [25.3% , -9.3]
• Liberal Democrat (Raja Zahidi): 191 [16.3% , -3.0]

* Paul Heilbron is a Campaigns and Communications Intern at ALDC