Liberal Democrats are celebrating four by-election wins this week (two gains, two holds) in Newquay, South Oxfordshire and St Albans.
Gannel ward, Newquay Town Council
Lib Dem GAIN.
LD Dave Sleeman 591
Con 405
Turnout 22.2%
Cllr Dave Sleeman said,
It’s a great honour to have been elected to serve my home town. I will live up to my promise of being a voice for the people and bringing respect back to the streets of Newquay.
Stephen Gilbert MP said,
Dave has consistently championed the issues that matter to local people and he will make an outstanding Councillor.
This was a straight contest between the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats and the result goes to show that in the era of coalition politics our party is still able to be distinctive and make gains when we fight for what local people want.
Crowmarsh ward, South Oxfordshire District Council
Lib Dem GAIN.
LD John Griffin 327
Con 258
Turnout 32%.
Ashley ward, St Albans District Council
Lib Dem HOLD
LD Andy Grant 774
Lab 354
Con 342
Green 93
This result means that the Liberal Democrats retain control of St Albans District Council.
St Albans South, Hertfordshire County Council
Lib Dem HOLD
LD Martin Frearson 1482
Con 1250
Lab 540
Green 249
Chris White, Lib Dem group leader at Hertfordshire County Council, said:
The Tories seemed to pull out all the stops including some frankly quite fantastic claims. But the electorate saw through them. The Coalition seemed to have no impact on the result.
Congratulations to the four new councillors and their campaign teams!
Note: the Labour vote in the St. Albans South by-election has been corrected from that originally given by an excited activist late last night. This is still a very low vote for a seat that Labour held until 2005.
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5 Comments
Excellent results – congratulations to all invloved.
I hope the media take note that there is no lack of enthusiam for the Liberal Democrats at grass roots level, either amongst activists or voters. If anything, being in the coalition governement is helping local campaigning. Our activists are spurred on to even greater efforts by the excitement of actually being in government, and voters can see that we are serious about exercising power and are doing it responsibly in difficult circumstances.
I’m not surprised that the coalition doesn’t seem to have been a big issue.
We are out campaigning in a local by-election in Abingdon and on the doorstep all the questions are about local issues.
Good Lord- the LDs being in goverment will have a HUGE impact when the cuts start to bite,and, just as importantly, when the traditional post election honeymoon is over.It seems to me you lot are expecting a slump and whistling in the dark until it happens.Just be patient 🙂
Nothing listed in Liberal Democrat News about there being a by-election in Abingdon, Neil….
“If anything, being in the coalition governement is helping local campaigning. Our activists are spurred on to even greater efforts by the excitement of actually being in government, and voters can see that we are serious about exercising power and are doing it responsibly in difficult circumstances.”
What I can not believe!