Yesterday saw three principal council by-elections being held, one each in England, Scotland and Wales.

In Perth & Kinross (UA), the Conservatives made a gain in Almond & Earn ward from an Independent. The Tories received 48.1% of the first preference votes as they eventually won the seat after the third round of voting. Liberal Democrat candidate George Hayton polled 4.2% of the first preferences in finishing in fourth place.

However, the Conservatives did continue their recent run of by-election losses, losing a seat in Pocklington Provincial ward in the East Riding of Yorkshire (UA) to an Independent. The Independent candidate polled 38% to win the seat with a 52 vote majority. No Liberal Democrat candidate was fielded.

Elsewhere, Labour made a comfortable hold in Ynysddu ward in Caerphilly (UA), winning with 58.9% of the vote. Matthew Kidner received 4.2% of the vote for the Lib Dems, with the party not having stood in the ward in the 2012 or 2008 elections.

Liberal Democrat candidates will be contesting all three of next week’s principal council by-elections. Chris Booth is the Liberal Democrat candidate in Halcon ward in Taunton Deane (DC). The Lib Dems in Cornwall will be hoping to make gains off the Tories, with Charles Boney and Karen McHugh standing in Menheniot and Wadebridge West wards.

A big thank you as always to those who come every Thursday evening to 23 New Mount Street in Manchester to make calls at ALDC’s By-election HQ, funded through fighting fund donations. If you can help us fight in even more wards, please donate here.

* ALDC is the Association of Liberal Democrat Councillors and Campaigners