Paul Walter

Spectacular by-election win – Lib Dems take seat from Tories in Newbury

By | Fri 6th May 2016 - 2:03 am

Elizabeth O'Keefe and team

Elizabeth O’Keeffe (centre) with some of her team in Newbury

Liberal Democrats in Newbury are celebrating after Elizabeth O’Keeffe stormed to victory to take a seat off the Tories on Newbury Town Council. The by-election in Victoria ward, caused by a Conservative councillor resigning after moving out of the area, was fiercely fought with no less than seven candidates.

Elizabeth and team worked extremely hard, following advice and templates from ALDC, including support from development officer for South Central, Neil Fawcett.

But the victory belongs to Elizabeth, whose 35 years as a volunteer, teacher and campaigner in the heart of Newbury’s community clearly resounded with residents, particularly in the light of draconian Conservative council cuts at all levels.

The result in full was:

Elizabeth O’Keeffe (Liberal Democrat) 487
Craig Hughes (Conservative) 307
Steve Wallis (Green) 173
Gary Puffett (Labour) 142
David McMahon (UKIP) 118
David Yates (Apolitical) 23
Lee McDougall (Ind) 20

Turnout 34%

Liberal Democrat gain from Conservative

The result last year (May 2015) was:

Victoria result

* Paul Walter is a Liberal Democrat activist and member of the Liberal Democrat Voice team. He blogs at Liberal Burblings.

Read more by .
This entry was posted in News.
Advert

Post a Comment

Lib Dem Voice welcomes comments from everyone but we ask you to be polite, to be on topic and to be who you say you are. You can read our comments policy in full here. Please respect it and all readers of the site.

To have your photo next to your comment please signup your email address with Gravatar.

Your email is never published. Required fields are marked *

*
*
Please complete the name of this site, Liberal Democrat ...?

Advert

Recent Comments

  • David Allen
    The deafening silence about who might be a good new LD leader tells its own story. A leadership change is a big opportunity for a party to reposition itself an...
  • Neil Hickman
    For good reason, Town Council byelections normally aren't included. But I think the result in Uckfield West is worth noting. Straight fight between the Lib Dem...
  • Peter Martin
    LibDems aren't invisible. If you were, you wouldn't have 72MPs and thousands of councillors. You don't have more because yourselves and the Labour Party aren't ...
  • Kevin Hawkins
    Here is my usual monthly summary of the last fifty local by-elections. Percentage Vote Share: Reform 24.46%, Labour 18.81%, Conservatives 17.13%, Liberal ...
  • David Raw
    In Sheffield Southey (Brightside constituency) the Lib Dem vote has dropped by half to a mere 2.2% and fifth place. Is it not a cause for concern that in 20...