It has been a stonking week for the Lib Dems in this week’s by-elections – winning all 3 principal by-elections contested on Thursday night and coming within a whisker of taking a Town Council seat too.
In Eastleigh the local Lib Dem team held onto Eastleigh Central ward increasing their vote share by 7%.Congratulations to Cllr Bhavin Dedhia and the team on a great hold.
Eastleigh BC, Eastleigh Central ward
Liberal Democrat (Bhavin Dedhia): 781 [43.9%, +6.9%]
Labour: 433 [24.3%, -4.5%]
Conservative: 362 [20.3%, -4.8%]
Green: 140 [7.9%, from nowhere]
Reform: 64 [3.6%, -0.1%]
In Somerset West and Taunton the Lib Dems gained the Independent seat of Alcombe with over 50% of the vote and a very impressive 16.7% increase in our share of the vote. Well done to newly elected Councillor Nicole Hawkins and everyone who helped on the campaign there.
Somerset West and Taunton DC, Alcombe ward
Liberal Democrat (Nicole Hawkins): 259 [49.2%, +16.7%]
Conservative: 223 [44.3%, +25.3%]
Labour: 21 [4%, -6.9]
Independent: 13 [2.5%, from nowhere]
Finally there were 2 by-elections in Hailsham – one on the district Council and one on the Town Council – both of which saw great Lib Dem performances.
Firstly Anne Blake-Coggins gained the seat of Hailsham South on Wealden DC with just under 60% of the total vote and a storming 23% increase in vote-share. Congratulations to Anne on becoming the new Lib Dem Councillor for the area.
Wealden DC, Hailsham South
Liberal Democrat (Anne Blake-Coggins): 394 [59.7%, +23.2%]
Conservative: 254 [38.5%, -6.7%]
SDP: 12 [1.8%, from nowhere]
A second by election was also held on Thursday night – this time on Hailsham Town Council. Lib Dem candidate Darren Ridge came agonisingly close to taking Hailsham North West ward off the Conservatives – falling short by just 8 votes. Well done to Darren and the team in Hailsham on a great result.
Hailsham TC, Hailsham North West
Conservative: 251 [51%]
Liberal Democrat (Darren Ridge): 243 [49%]
A full breakdown of these results can be found on ALDCs website here.
* Charles Quinn is Campaigns Organiser for ALDC and a local councillor in Hull.
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I prefer a longer-term view of local by-elections rather than getting worked up over one week’s results (no matter how good or bad they are).
The data for the last fifty by-elections is as follows. (The equivalent data for the fifty by-elections up to the end of December is given in brackets).
Conservatives 35.0% (29.3%)
Labour 24.3% (31.3%)
Liberal Democrats 24.2% (15.9%)
Greens 7.9% (11.2%)
Others 8.5% (12.3%)
Gains and losses are:
Conservatives: Net loss of thirteen: 4 gains, 12 held, 17 lost
Labour: Net gain of two: 5 gains, 7 held, 3 lost
Lib Dems: Net gain of seven: 11 gains, 4 held, 1 lost
Greens: Net gain of four: 4 gains, 0 held, 0 lost
Independents: Net loss of two: 2 gains, 0 held, 4 lost
Residents: No change: 0 gains, 1 held, 0 lost
Tunbridge Wells Alliance: Net gain of one: 1 gain, 0 held, 0 lost
Health Concern: Net loss of one: 0 gains, 0 held, 1 lost
Yorkshire Party: Net loss of one: 0 gains, 0 held, 1 lost
Conservatives won 16 seats, Liberal Democrats won 15 seats, Labour 12 seats, Green 4, Independents 2, Others 2.
(The numbers do not add up to 50 as there was a double-vacancy in one ward)
This data is for the most recent 50 by-elections in England & Wales (25th November to 10th February). Parish/Town councils are not included.
Correction – It should read Liberal Democrats – Net gain of ten
The result given for Eastleigh Central is incorrect. The Liberal Democrat vote was actually 802. https://www.eastleigh.gov.uk/media/10901/eastleigh-central-by-election-declaration-of-result-of-poll-10th-february-2022.pdf