Last week saw four principal council by-elections take place. In Eastleigh (BC), the Liberal Democrats held a seat in West End North ward with 53%. Janice Asman was elected with a 267 vote majority over the Conservatives, with the Lib Dem vote share increasing by 13.2% from the ward’s previous election last May.
In Hounslow (LB), there was a hold for Labour in Cranford with 54.7%, whilst Liberal Democrat Hina Malik polled 11.5% in third place, a vote share increase of 5.3% from two years ago. There were also comfortable holds for Labour in Coventry (MB) and Bolton (MB), with Lib Dems Christopher Glenn and Gary Veevers receiving 5.7% and 4.2% of the vote respectively.
Alongside the principal by-elections, there was also success for the Liberal Democrats in contests for Town Council seats. Ollie Purkiss won a seat on Godalming Town Council in Surrey by winning the Central & Ockford ward by-election with 41.4% in what was a gain from the Conservatives. The party was also victorious in a contest in Hedge End Town Council in Eastleigh, with Maggie Allingham being elected in Freegrounds ward with 64.5% of the vote. Elsewhere, Laiga Brown received 22.6% of the vote in a by-election in Glastonbury, coming third behind the Greens and the Conservatives who held the seat.
Next week, nine principal council by-elections will be taking place across England, Scotland and Wales. The party will be defending seats in Lichfield (DC), Chiltern (DC) and Flintshire (UA), with Liberal Democrat candidates also being fielded in contests in Cambridgeshire (CC), Suffolk (CC) and Manchester (MB), as well as two by-elections in Broxtowe (BC). No Lib Dem candidate will be fielded in the by-election in Argyll & Bute (UA).
In addition, the party will also be represented in two Town Council contests in Yeovil, as well as contests in Berkhamstead (TC) and Street (PC).
For a detailed list of this 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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One Comment
Things had better pick up quick because the latest polls for the Welsh Assembly – carried out this month – show the LibDems at 5%, 13% behind UKIP who are in 4th place.