It’s been a quiet week, results-wise, but there are two bits of by-election good news:
Didcot has its first ever Lib Dem Councillor following yesterday’s gain from Labour.
From the Association of Liberal Democrat Councillors:
David Rouane (Lib Dem) 152 (42.1%)
Labour 124 (34.3%)
Conservative 85 (23.5%)
Lib Dem majority 28
Turnout 12%Lib Dem gain from Labour (Labour councillor resigned)
And another Lib Dem for Little Gaddesden Parish Council. Also from ALDC:
Little Gaddesden PC
LD Rob Irving 102
Philip Melville 97Turnout 23%
(postal votes turnout was in the 40%s)
Congratulations to the new councillors and to everyone who helped with their campaigns.
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Oh no, not another by-election
Matthew Harris
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Adam
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4 Comments
A turnout of 12%?
That wasn’t much of a campaign….
Didcot? Eh? Rubbing my eyes in disbelief. a) I live two miles from Didcot in the same constituency, and non of the other members in this village knew about it either, so, helpers that could have delivered, or knocked on doors, were not contacted….how dozy is that. b) It was not even listed in Liberal Democrat News that Im aware of, and I usually look at whats coming up in John Bridge’s excellent column. Winning elections in secret without involving local activists, is this the new tactic talked of, called Post-Rennardism? Winning by just five votes – still, a win is a win.
Surprising news, almost surprising as seeing that there are 97 people still prepared to go out and vote Labour, with the surprise that the Tories handed it on a plate by not bothering to find a candidate. Ed Vaizey, the MP who put antique furniture on his House of Commons exes, needs to get the John Bridges mantra: “Always stand a candidate!”
Simon – in that part of Didcot in the middle of the school holidays and on a day of heavy rain 12% was not a bad turnout. (And the turnout of our identified supporters was several times higher!)
Philip – I’m surprised you didn’t get emails, unless your email address has dropped off the constituency list for some reason. I will get this checked out.
We did have help in from various people round the constituency and other local places including Newbury, Oxford and Abingdon.
It was not the busiest campaign ever but we certainly out-campaigned both the other parties by some margin.
If it is the same Rob Irving who was a councillor with the London Borough of Sutton a few years back the constituents of Little Gaddesdon will have done themselves a favour.. Either way, congratulations.