Lib Dem candidates were fielded in all five principal council by-elections held last Thursday. The two contests in Aberdeen (UA) in Kincorth/Nigg/Cove and Hilton/Woodside/Stockethill wards, both caused by the resignation of the new MPs for Aberdeen North and South, resulted in two comfortable SNP holds. Lib Dem candidates Ken McLeod and Jonathan Waddell polled 6.5% and 4.1% of the first preference votes respectively, a slight decrease in the Lib Dem vote share from 2012 on both counts. The result of both by-elections was sealed after the first round, with the respective SNP candidates receiving over 50% of the first preference votes.
The Conservatives easily held their seat in Droitwich East ward in Wychavon (DC) with 52.2% of the vote, with Lib Dem Rory Roberson coming fourth with 11.4%. The Tories also picked up a gain from the Lincolnshire Independents in North Hykeham Mill ward in North Kesteven (DC). The victory brings the Conservative representation on the council up to twenty nine and reduces the Lincolnshire Independents, who are the official opposition to the Tories on the council, down to eight councillors.
In College ward in Northumberland (CC), Labour secured a hold with 69.5% of the vote, despite this being a drop in vote share by 21.2% from two years earlier. Lib Dem candidate Andy McGregor polled 11.2% in finishing third with the party not fielding a candidate in the previous election.
Next week sees five principal council by-elections, all of them in Scotland. Three of the by-elections have been caused following the resignations of new SNP MPs. Four new councillors will be elected in Glasgow (UA) next Thursday, with the SNP defending three seats with the Scottish Greens hoping to hold the other. The remaining SNP defence will be in the South Lanarkshire (UA) ward of Hamilton South.
For a comprehensive set of this week’s and previous by-election results, click here, and for information on forthcoming by-elections as well as details for how to help, click here.
* ALDC is the Association of Liberal Democrat Councillors and Campaigners
8 Comments
I’ll just get my magnifying glass then.
Yeah Scotland’s going to be very difficult for the lib dems.
Prior to 2010 scots believed the lib dems were a centre left party to the left of New Labour under Blair. That voter base was lost as a result of the coalition and isn’t likely to return anytime soon. But the lib dems must have known that losing Scotland would have been part of the price for being part of a conservative government? If you thought that a price worth paying, which I can only assume that the party must have done, then results like these should not make you regret the coalition.
CISTA will be standing in the holyrood elections. I reckon it will be between CISTA and the lib dems for 5th place with the greens coming in forth. Anybody doubt that?
1. It was, I think, a mistake in deciding the coalition deal of 2010 not to have considered the possible electoral consequences at all levels – local government, the devolved administrations, Europe as well as Westminster. My own hope at the time – proved very wrong – was that Lib Dems would become the hub around which all liberal and progressive folk would gather. Was the Coalition worth the near destruction of our party at every level ?
2. In trying to understand the tsunami of May 7 we ask “what went wrong ?”. Should we not be asking “What went right ?” in our better years. 2005 and previously. How did we gain those seats which were so massively lost in 2015 ?
CISTA ? What is that ?
Maybe the English Liberal Democrats felt that Scotland and Wales would soon become independent so they could afford to risk losing support there ? Unfortunately they lost everywhere else too but there seem to be signs of recovery in England and Wales if Local Government by election results mean anything. It all depends on what the other parties do but most people have fairly short memories though I would be surprised if recovery came quickly and might never return to the level achieved in 2010 let alone 2005. If the Conservatives become very unpopular there might be some recovery in the South West and if Corbyn causes a split in the Labour Party that might help but with a Corbyn Labour Party the outlook for Greens would be less optimistic as their voters would most likely switch to him.
CISTA is the cannabis is safer than Alcohol party which campaigns for the legalisation of cannabis. I have a lot of sympathy for them (I basically agree with them) but I doubt a single issue party such as CISTA will have any impact on the Holyrood elections.
The results of the local by elections this week seem to have been bad with no sign of any recovery in Scotland.
I advise people not to look at this Thursdays results. Absolutely the pits. 18 votes and 22 votes in two Glasgow seats.
Looks as if the Scottish Lib Dems may have to review their whole policy approach viz Scotland and Independence etc.
The Greens are beating us quite easily.
I wouldn’t say its all bad. The number of reports that give variations on a theme of ‘the Liberal Democrat candidate came third, fourth, fifth delete as applicable with 10% of the vote, the party having not stood a candidate during the previous round of council elections’ is encouraging. Going from not standing at all, to having a candidate who even a small minority of voters can support is that critical first step towards winning.
Next week’s by-elections in councils across Scotland will be a better snapshot for the situation north of the border. I don’t anticipate a particularly strong post-coalition surge, though. As for Holyrood, barring events being blown off-course Mr Wallace is right that the Lib Dems will probably come behind the Greens, although I personally think his CISTA will not feature, while the Scottish Socialists or some such similar hard left outfit will battle for fifth place with us.