Over the next few days, we will be publishing our twelve most read posts of 2016. Many thanks to the 533,000 people who have visited the site over the past tumultuous 12 months. 

At number 9 is the sort of post we have run a great deal this year. Late on a Thursday night, the local government by-election results start to come in. Quite often the headline changes several times as the gains flood in – and this one was just like that – a night of four spectacular gains.

Good news from different parts of the country – three very strong by-election gains tonight so far. One in Cornwall, from UKIP, and another with a huge swing from the Tories in Norfolk, and the third from Independent in Wiltshire.

And how nice it is to have to edit the post to add in one more – also in Cornwall where we won from Independent by a LONG way. Figures to follow.

And here they are:

St Teath & St Breward result:
LDEM: 44.8% (+13.0)
IND: 17.5% (+17.5)
CON: 14.6% (-2.1)
IND: 13.1% (+13.1)
IND: 5.3% (+5.3)
LAB: 4.8% (+4.8)

— Britain Elects (@britainelects) July 14, 2016

Here are the details of the earlier three:

Trowbridge Grove (Wiltshire) result:
LDEM: 45.9% (+45.9)
CON: 21.4% (+6.9)
UKIP: 13.4% (+13.4)
LAB: 8.4% (+8.4)
IND: 8.1% (+8.1)
GRN: 2.9%

— Britain Elects (@britainelects) July 14, 2016

New Councillor Chris Auckland is a relatively new member of the Lib Dems, too. Yet another newbie making a very important mark on the party.

Newquay Treviglas (Cornwall) result:
LDEM: 57.8% (+32.9)
CON: 25.0% (-2.1)
LAB: 10.3% (-7.4)
IND: 6.9% (+6.9)
UKIP didn’t stand.

— Britain Elects (@britainelects) July 14, 2016

And Norfolk

Astley (North Norfolk) result:
LDEM: 40.8% (+40.8)
CON: 25.3% (-30.7)
UKIP: 17.0% (+17.0)
GRN: 10.4% (-15.9)
LAB: 6.5% (-11.3)

— Britain Elects (@britainelects) July 14, 2016

It’s worth noting that these results are from areas that voted Leave a few weeks ago.

Not only that, but there has been a pretty significant swing to us in an Islington by-election, too.

Islington (Barnsbury) result:
LAB: 51.6% (-4.1)
LDEM: 17.7% (+7.1)
CON: 15.9% (-2.9)
GRN: 13.1% (+0.7)
IND: 1.7% (+1.7)

— Britain Elects (@britainelects) July 14, 2016

Our candidate was Bradley Hillier-Smith who’s been involved in so many of the aid trips to Calais. And, typically, this by-election has been about doing good for the community as he said on Facebook: