There were four by-elections for principal by-elections yesterday.
The Liberal Democrats stormed to victory in Sutton in East Cambridgeshire. Lorna Dupre gained the seat previously held by the Conservative council leader. Cllr Dupre came from third place in 2011 to take 50.9% of the vote (an increase of 27%). The Conservative and Labour candidates saw large drops in their support. The Tories dropped to second with 27.2% (-19.2%), UKIP who did not stand in 2011 came third with 15.8% and Labour came in last with 6.1% (-23.6%).
Of the four candidates only Cllr Dupre lived in the village. Other candidates’ claims to be ‘local’ backfired badly when it became clear that they lived as much as 11 miles away. The local Lib Dem team had been preparing for the 2015 local elections well in advance by having a team in place and sending out regular FOCUS leaflets since 2013. As a result they were well established as local campaigners before the election was called and ready to go the moment it was.
The team canvassed all postal voters and regular polling station voters for local elections. They also ran a well-targeted literature and letter campaign as well as ward-wide leaflets. Many previous Labour voters quickly saw that their party wasn’t campaigning effectively in the ward and much of their vote shifted in our direction. The team made sure to position stakeboards at key sites around the village – the Conservatives managed only two, and one of those was in a ditch outside the village!
The local team also made use of social media. The Facebook page for the village has over 700 members, which is used for general village news and chat. Set up by a local resident, it is non-political but used appropriately is an excellent forum for communication. Lorna and her team participate actively and often in that page, responding to enquiries, posting up local news, engaging in discussion with residents, and most importantly finding out what the local issues are that concern local people. Lorna says: “Facebook has proved a very effective way of really engaging with local residents about the things that matter to them.”
Despite the other parties’ campaigns being ineffective the team didn’t relax and worked continuously until late on polling day. Lorna and her team were particularly grateful to colleagues from around the county who came to help and offer support to the campaign.
The only other Liberal Democrat standing yesterday was in Osbournby, North Kesteven. Sadly it was a disappointing result with the party receiving just 1.4%. Possibly the Liberal Democrat vote was squeezed by the Conservatives who gained the seat from Independents with 49.7% (+19.3%). Lincolnshire Independents were second with 42.8%. Labour came in 29 votes ahead of the Liberal Democrats with 6.1%.
Unfortunately in Horncastle, East Lindsey DC there was no Liberal Democrat candidate despite coming just 56 votes behind the Conservatives in 2011. The Conservatives held the seat in a three way contest. An Independent came second with 31.4% and UKIP third with 30.2%.
In Caerphilly the result in Blackwood ward mirrored that of 2012 with Labour retaining the seat and Independents, Plaid and the Tories retaining their positions.
For all the detailed by-elections results see the ALDC elections page.
* ALDC is the Association of Liberal Democrat Councillors and Campaigners
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14 Comments
“Osbournby, North Kesteven. Sadly it was a disappointing result with the party receiving just 1.4%”
That 1.4% = the sum total of 9 – yes, nine – votes !
so that must be the Osbourn(by) family….
Just to let you know that we fielded a candidate in Osbournby at the 11th hour just so there was a Lib Dem on the ballot paper and it was someone who live over twenty miles away. We have a small local party and are virtually nonexistent in that area.
Conservative Cllr Peter Moakes – the former leader of East Cambridgeshire District Council – has quit.
Cllr Moakes, who represents Sutton ward, says he handed his resignation in on Thursday as he does not agree with radical restructure plans at the authority.
The proposed restructure, which is being led by Conservative Cllr James Palmer, could see around 25 redundancies being made.
Read more: http://www.ely-news.co.uk/News/BREAKING-Former-leader-of-East-Cambs-District-Council-resigns-20140307150521.htm#ixzz2zuwTeHhc
Well done Michael for going to the effort, so people had the opportunity to vote Lib Dem. The Sutton result is heartening from third place to first with over half the vote. Doubtless the “you’re all doomed” will try and explain it away.
Well on that sort of result you’re on for a Lib Dem government at the next election. Back to your constituencies everyone! Hope there aren’t any disappointments on the night.
“Just to let you know that we fielded a candidate in Osbournby at the 11th hour just so there was a Lib Dem on the ballot paper and it was someone who live over twenty miles away. We have a small local party and are virtually nonexistent in that area.”
I’m always curious how people have managed to get nomination papers completed when the vote is in single figures. Presumably it depends on the goodwill of supporters of other parties (or of non-voters).
Chris – I’ve stopped trying to target known LibDems for completing nomination papers, neither for myself in a seat I am known, nor even in an unknown area on behalf of an unknown paper candidate! It’s takes more time. The key is simply to point out that the nomination paper asks local residents to ‘assent’ to the candidacy to ensure there is a full slate on the day and give people a choice. I am clear that I am a LibDem but also clear that nominators don’t have to vote for, nor even like LibDems; if they waiver, I will also ask if they appreciate living in a democracy. I just start at one end of a street and work my way down it. Of those who give me a chance to explain (the vast majority), around 8 in 10 will sign immediately (sometimes even whilst denouncing the LibDems in the process), 1 in 10 just don’t want to sign something official, but of course, there are the other 1 in 10… This approach is quick but not for the faint-hearted.
The question is why we are failing to stand in so many places where we could win ? Part of the explanation must lie with low morale, not helped by the constant negativity from the noisy minority who oppose Coalition.
Ditch
Thanks for explaining. I assumed people must be doing something like that.
Paul Barker, do not jump to conclusions, I want a change of leadership as soon as possible, but I support the coalition despite the fact that it is destroying the party, which in vast areas of the country is no longer viable or worse credible, in fact it is ceasing to exist!!!..
Paul Barker. Negativity may not help with short term morale, but the cause of both the negativity and the base level of morale is how badly Nick has managed being in coalition and how he has behaved towards members who have pointed out the problems he is causing by being so poor in managing being in coalition.
You really mustn’t have a kneejerk “blame the messenger” attitude.
Good to see the positive results with Lorna and the team where we won over half the vote. As someone who fought and won in 2011 in a seat with a Labour councillor, I think it is as simple as having confidence in ourselves and working hard. It seems clear to me that in many places we are not collectively finding the energy we had up to 2010 to fight effectively. I think Nick has played a tough hand without a manual and our lack of vested interest backers have made us vulnerable. However, history will record that Lib Dems can be part of a stable government and even if we fall out of government for a while, we will have a new credibility to build on in 2020.
What is your view about a Lib Dem party member failing to to show the party logo and leaving the description field blank in his nomination papers for a Town Council by election in 2011? Some people assumed he was an independent or of no affiliation and were angry they had been duped on finding out he stood for the Lib Dems a few weeks earlier in a different ward. He is still listed as a Lib Dem party member today.