Author Archives: ALDC

The Liberal Democrats got off to a successful start to the year in local by-elections, as the party won the first principal council by-election of 2016 where the party has fielded a candidate. In last Thursday’s only contest, the Liberal Democrats in Cornwall (UA), comfortably won the election in Launceston Central ward. Despite a vote share decrease of 7.9% from 2013, Gemma Massey polled an impressive 63% of the vote to win ahead of the Conservatives with a 289 vote majority.

In addition, the party also won in Central ward on Launceston Town Council.  Paula Bullen and Kirk Denton collectively polled over 70% of the vote to win the two of three vacant seats.

Six principal council by-elections were contested on Thursday, with one gain and one loss for the Liberal Democrats.

The party made an impressive gain from the Conservatives on Wealden district council last night. David White polled 69.9% of the vote to clinch victory with a 653 majority. The party also recorded a 32.7% swing from the Tories. David becomes the sole Lib Dem representative on the Conservative dominated council, having lost his seat this May.

In Brentwood (BC), there was less good news for the Liberal Democrats as the Conservatives made a gain in Shenfield ward with 57.4%, despite Alison Fulcher increasing the party’s vote share by 5.1% from  this May. Whilst we ran a good campaign once the election was called, we were competing with the Tories from a standing start. Early indications suggest that more work could have been done preparing the ward prior to the campaign eg. by recruiting Postal Voters etc given that this was a Lib Dem resignation.

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.

Three sets of principal council by-elections were held this week. In Sutton (LB), the Lib Dems successfully held one of their three seats in Wallington South ward in Tom Brake’s Carshalton and Wallington constituency. In a closely fought contest, the party fended off the Conservative challenge by taking victory with 44.1%, alongside majority of 315 votes. LD candidate Steve Cook also recorded an increased vote share from 2014 of 6.9%.

Elsewhere, the Stepney Green council by-election in Tower Hamlets (LB) resulted in a Labour gain from Tower Hamlets First. The Labour candidate polled 42.1% to secure a narrow majority of 171 ahead of an independent candidate. Will Dyer won 4.7% of the vote for the Lib Dems, securing a vote share increase of 1.7% from the ward’s previous contest last year. The result brings Labour’s representation up to 23 councillors, meaning they now hold a majority on the 45 member council.

Just two principal council by-elections took place yesterday. In Fife (UA), SNP held their seat in Kirkcaldy East, winning 47.3% of the first preference votes, 372 ahead of Labour who had topped the poll in the ward’s previous election in 2012. The Liberal Democrats finished 6th out of 8 candidates with 1.3% of the vote.

In Wealden (DC), the two-candidate contest in Crowborough West saw the Conservatives hold one of their two seats in the ward by winning 58.7% of the vote in defeating the UKIP candidate by 138 votes.