Tag Archives: aldc

The Voice

ALDC Campaigner awards – submit your nominations now

By The Voice | Sat 29th July 2023 - 11:29 am

Last week, we invited you to submit your nominations for the Party Awards which will be presented at Conference.

This week, ALDC invited nominations for their equivalent of the Oscars for Lib Dem campaigners. You don’t have to be a member of ALDC to nominate but, let’s face it, if you have anything at all to o with campaigning, you should be a member of ALDC anyway, because you are more likely to win.

From their website:

Each year, we recognise the outstanding work and achievements of Liberal Democrat councillors, campaigners and campaign teams through our Campaigner Awards. And nominations are now open for 2023, sponsored by our print partners, Election Workshop.

THE  CATEGORIES

Best literature – We’re looking for local parties’ examples of well-designed literature with strong messaging, photos and layout. We want to see your best.

Best local election campaign – We’re looking for local parties that have fought effective and strong 2023 local election campaigns. Tell us about your winning strategy. What innovative new ideas did you use? What great literature did you deliver? Did you develop a digital strategy and run a successful online campaign? How did you raise the funds to support your campaign?

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Caron Lindsay

Lib Dems score historic by-election win in Edinburgh

By Caron Lindsay | Sat 11th March 2023 - 2:30 pm

Lib Dem Fiona Bennett became our 13th Councillor in Edinburgh at just before midnight on Thursday, securing our highest ever vote in a local government by-election in Scotland. We are now the second largest group on the Council behind the SNP’s 17, Labour’s 11,  Greens’ 10 and Conservatives 9.

Here’s Alex Cole-Hamilton gloating  talking about it on yesterday’s Good Morning Scotland ahead of our Conference in Dundee.

Fiona becomes the 3rd councillor in the 3 member Corstorphine/Murrayfield ward which is in Christine Jardine’s Westminster constituency and Alex Cole-Hamilton’s Holyrood seat. She gained the seat in the by-election caused by the resignation of SNP former Lord Provost Frank Ross.

The unexpected passing of the Lib Dem budget two weeks ago means that she will have £11 million for pothole fixing. Which is a good thing. I almost got a concussion as the bus drove over the potholes on Corstorphine Road yesterday on my way to work.

As Christine Jardine told Scottish Conference in her best M and S ad voice yesterday, this is not just representation, this is Lib Dem representation.

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Charles Quinn

ALDC by-election report – 27th October 2022.

By Charles Quinn | Fri 28th October 2022 - 4:04 pm

There were only two principal council by-elections this week. The very good news is there were Lib Dem candidates in both of them, and both achieved positive results that moved the Lib Dems forward in the ward. So well done and thank you to everyone involved.

We start in the East Midlands on Derbyshire County Council where our candidate Rachel Allen achieved an impressive result in Long Eaton ward – increasing the Lib Dem vote share by 5% and jumping into 3rd place. Well done to Rachel and the team in Derbyshire! Labour gained the seat from the Conservatives.

Derbyshire CC, Long Eaton
Labour: 1104 (51.1%, +15.1%)
Conservative: 723 (33.5%, -16.5%)
Liberal Democrat (Rachel Allen): 239 (11.1%, +5.1%)
Green: 94 (4.4%, -1.6%)

Next we move over to the West Midlands to Sandwell MBC and Wednesbury South ward. Thank you to Manjit Singh Lall, for not only standing and making sure there was a Lib Dem on the ballot paper, but also finishing an impressive 3rd out of 5 candidates. This is the first time we had stood in the ward since a by-election in October 2009! Finishing so high up is a great achievements and it just goes to show the importance of always standing a candidate!

Sandwell MBC, Wednesbury South
Labour: 854 (51.3%, -6.3%)
Conservative: 654
Liberal Democrat (Manjit Singh Lall): 77 (4.6%, from nowhere)
Green: 56 (3.4%, from nowhere)
TUSC: 23 (1.3%, from nowhere)

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Charles Quinn

ALDC by-election report – 20 October 2022

By Charles Quinn | Fri 21st October 2022 - 8:05 pm

It has been a slightly mixed week for the Lib Dems in by-elections – with both fantastic gains and some tough losses. A huge positive is there were Liberal Democrat candidates in all 5 principal by-elections on Thursday night.

It’s important to stand a candidate in all by-elections and give voters the opportunity to support the Lib Dems – and we did this in every by-election this week. So thank you to everyone who stood for us.

We start the roundup with a superb gain on Guildford Borough Council from the Conservatives. Congratulations to Councillor Richard Morris and the local team for gaining Tillingbourne ward with a 16% increase in the vote.

Guildford BC, Tillingbourne ward
Liberal Democrat (Richard Morris): 636
Conservative: 293
Residents for Guildford & Villages: 185
Green: 168
Labour: 85

We were extremely unlucky in Fareham Borough Council as we lost Porchester East ward by just 25 votes. It is always gutting to lose out by such a tiny margin. Thank you the our candidate Ciaran Urry-Tuttiett and the Lib Dem team there for all your hard work.

Fareham BC, Porchester East ward
Conservative: 957
Liberal Democrat (Ciaran Urry-Tuttiett): 932
Labour: 379
Independent: 275

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Charles Quinn

ALDC By-Election Report

By Charles Quinn | Sun 2nd October 2022 - 2:20 pm

It was a busy week for by-elections with 9 principal Council seats up for grabs – and some great Lib Dem results.

We start with a brilliant double victory in Warrington. Two Lib Dem held seats were being contested in Grapenhall ward and both were brilliantly retained by new Lib Dem councillors Helen Speed and Mark Browne who together polled over 56.4% of the vote (almost a 10% increase in Lib Dem vote share. Well done to Helen, Mark and the local team in Warrington!

Warrington MBC, Grapenhall ward
Liberal Democrat (Helen Speed and Mark Browne): 1073 & 1047
Conservative: 524 & 462
Labour: 193
Independent: 60

We had another great Lib Dem hold on Harborough DC as Lib Dem Geraldine Whitmore won Market Harborough Logan ward – increasing the Lib Dem vote share by over 10%! Well done and congratulations to Cllr Whitmore and the local Lib Dem in Harborough.

Harborough DC, Market Harborough Logan ward
Liberal Democrat (Geraldine Whitmore): 582
Conservative: 382
Labour: 250
Independent: 60

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Charles Quinn

ALDC by-election report 18th August

By Charles Quinn | Fri 19th August 2022 - 5:13 pm

There were only two principal authority by-elections this week.

However one saw a fantastic Lib Dem hold on Cambridge City Council. Congratulations to Cllr David Levien and the team for making sure Trumpington ward remained Lib Dem with an increased vote-share and a fraction under 50% of the vote. A fantastic result!

Cambridge City Council, Trumpington ward
Liberal Democrat (David Levien): 1,017
Labour: 472
Green: 298
Conservative: 256

There was no candidate in Thursday’s other by-election – in which an Independent took the seat of Preesall on Wyre Borough Council from the Conservatives.

Wyre BC, Preesall ward
Independent: 595
Conservative: 495
Labour: 315
Independent: 102

A full summary of all results can be found on the ALDC by-elections page here.

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Charles Quinn

ALDC by-election report 21st July

By Charles Quinn | Fri 22nd July 2022 - 5:59 pm

This week saw some fantastic results for Lib Dem teams in local by-elections – and in particular a couple of amazingly close second-place finishes in wards that we had not even contested in the previous election!

The first results comes from South Staffordshire District Council where Lib Dem candidate Sam Harper-Wallis was just 10 votes off a sensational victory in Penkridge North East & Acton Trussel ward. This is even more impressive as the seat had been uncontested at the previous election. This goes to show the importance of always standing a candidate. We now have a great base to start from next time.

Well done to everyone involved – and congratulations to Sam who was successfully elected to Penkridge Parish Council on the same evening. You can find the full result of that election here. Well done too to Keith Pincher for standing in a Swindon Parish Council by-election – also in the South Staffordshire area – and coming just 30 votes short from taking the seat. Full result here.

South Staffordshire DC, Penkridge North East & Acton Trussel
Conservative: 388
Liberal Democrat (Sam Harper-Wallis): 378
Labour: 45

The next fantastic result comes from Harbour ward on Lancaster City Council. The Lib Dems had not stood a candidate in the previous election in the ward. But in this by-election Jake Perkin and the local Lib Dem team achieved a fantastic 41.4% share of the vote and coming within 76 votes of taking the seat. Well done to Jake and the team on a superb result that puts us in a great position to take the ward next time.

Lancaster City Council, Harbour
Labour: 555
Liberal Democrat (Jake Perkin): 479
Conservative: 124

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Max Langer

Reviewing how we campaign

By Max Langer | Sat 2nd July 2022 - 8:30 am

Liberal Democrat campaigns are well known for their strong community focus, their mountains of leaflets and their incessant door knocking. This strategy has shown some success from Chesham and Amersham to Tiverton and Honiton, to our great local election results.

However, to say that this is the only way to win elections would be short sighted. We’ve seen right wing forces like Trump and the Brexit campaign effectively harness digital technologies and micro targeting to win against the odds. But is this something that we should be doing?

Some academics have looked to answer these questions, showing how digital techniques have grown in importance. However, these studies have often overlooked local elections and their key role in our politics. I want to change this.

I’m studying Public and Political Communications at the University of Sheffield and am researching how Liberal Democrats campaign, and most importantly, what campaigning methods work. This interest has come from several years of working as a Lib Dem local organiser and for ALDC.

This study will look at the 2022 local elections and seek to determine, based on statistical analysis, which campaigning methods contributed most to our impressive victories. Is canvassing more important than direct mail? Is Facebook more important than Instagram?

But, to do this I need your help.

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Frankie Singleton

ALDC by-election report, 24th June

By Frankie Singleton | Fri 24th June 2022 - 3:12 pm

Thursday was a brilliant day to be a Liberal Democrat! Building on our strong start to the year, we won every principal authority seat we were contesting, in addition to the ground shaking win in Tiverton and Honiton! The result in Tiverton and Honiton, over-turning a 24,000 vote majority, handed the Tories their worst by-election defeat in history. What a result! Congratulations must go out to all our teams across the country who worked so hard for these results.

We start off on Shropshire Council, where newly elected Lib Dem councillor Mark Williams gained the Highley seat from the Independent – from a standing start! The Lib Dems didn’t stand last time, so this really is a fantastic result. Congratulations to Mark and the Shropshire team.

Shropshire Council, Highley ward
Liberal Democrat (Mark Williams): 630
Conservative: 279
Labour: 239
Green Party:

Next to Waverley Borough Council – Hindhead, where Lib Dem Julian Spence also had a fantastic night – winning 54.6% of the vote and taking the seat from the Conservatives. Congratulations to Julian and the team for a brilliant GAIN.

Waverley Borough Council, Hindhead
Liberal Democrat (Julian Spence): 537
Conservative: 446

We also had another phenomenal night in Kingston, where there was a deferred election on new boundaries. Once again, the team smashed it, taking all three seats that were up for election. Congratulations to Cllrs Mark Durrant, Dongsung (Robert) Kim, and Lesley Heap!

Kingston upon Thames London Borough Council, New Malden Village
Liberal Democrats: 1217, 1184, 1182
Green Party: 827
Kingston Independent Residents Group (KIRG): 724, 703
Conservative: 427, 372, 327
Labour: 436, 429, 37

We also had some fantastic results on both Godalming and Haslemere Town Councils, with Tom Kiehl holding our seat in Godalming, and Conrad Waters gaining a seat from the Conservatives in Haslemere. Congratulations to both teams!

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Paul Heilbron

ALDC by-election report: 1 April 2022

By Paul Heilbron | Fri 1st April 2022 - 7:35 pm

The May local elections may just be over the precipice but there are still many hotly contested by-elections to contest until polling night. Three principal authority council By-elections this week and a Town council By-election for a good measure saw the Lib Dems back on the By-election trail.

First up we have Morecambe TC where newly elected Phil Forster gained the seat of Bare South West from the Conservatives. The Lib Dems really do love Town and Parish councils.

Morecambe TC, Bare South West
Liberal Democrat (Phil Forster): 85
Conservative: 67
Labour: 62

Next, we turn our gaze to Melton BC where Jim Adcock has the unduly task of campaigning in a ward that we have never contested before. A commendable second-place finish and a 25% vote share may win the plaudits but not the victory this time around.

Melton BC, Melton Sysonby
Conservative: 396
Liberal Democrat (Jim Adcock): 187
Labour: 165

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Charles Quinn

ALDC’s by-election report 10 March 2022 – two Lib Dem victories

By Charles Quinn | Sat 12th March 2022 - 11:30 am

The Lib Dems are celebrating two resounding victories in Hertfordshire this week. 

On Hertfordshire County Council we held the seat of Hitchin South with a majority of over 1700 votes and a 72% share of the vote. Our vote increased by a massive 34%. Well done to Councillor Keith Hoskins and the local Lib Dem team on a brilliant result:

Hertfordshire County Council, Hitchin South ward
Liberal Democrat (Keith Hoskins): 2401
Conservative: 690
Green: 223
Christian People’s Alliance: 35

The Lib Dems held a further seat in Hitchin – this time Hitchin Highbury on North Hertfordshire District Council – with a fantastic 67% of the vote, a majority of just under 800 and an 18.5% increase in their share of the vote. 

Congratulations to Councillor Raj Bhakar and the team for a brilliant result. 

Well done to everyone in Hitchin on a fantastic night. 

North Hertfordshire District Council, Hitchin Highbury
Liberal Democrats (Raj Bhakar): 1238
Conservatives: 450
Green: 134
Christian People’s Alliance: 27

BBC: Hitchin: Lib Dems hold seats in council by-elections

There were two further by-elections on Thursday night. Neither were contested by the Lib Dems. 

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The Voice

Lib Dems mark International Women’s Day

By The Voice | Tue 8th March 2022 - 1:21 pm

Today is International Women’s Day and the event has been marked by senior party figures.

Christine Jardine reminds us of the especially poignant reason we celebrate International Women’s Day on 8th March:

Welsh Lib Dem Leader Jane Dodds called for changes to make it more appealing for women to stand for election at all levels, but particularly local Government:

We urgently need our councils and politics to be more representative of communities they serve. If local governments are so unrepresentative of the population they serve, they cannot possibly hope to deliver for that community effectively.

“So this May I want to see more women from different backgrounds, different classes and different ethnicities standing for election. All political parties have a duty to encourage this. And if you are someone in a position of power of influence then make sure you ask them to stand.

“It may seem obvious, but my own political career wouldn’t have started had someone not asked me to stand for council elections. At the time, I had the same view of local Government that many women do, a club for white men over a certain age. I hadn’t thought of entering politics before because I hadn’t believed my voice would be listened to.

“However, we also need structural issues to be resolved. Introducing more flexible schedules for council meetings should be the top priority. Council meetings are often too long and involve unworkable and unsociable hours for those with family, caring and work commitments.

“Society works better when those making decisions are representative of the communities they serve and this International Women’s Day we must remind ourselves of what needs to be done to reach that.”

Lib Dem Women are using the day to highlight women candidates for May’s elections on their Twitter feed,kicking off with one of our most senior and experienced council leaders

ALDC is doing similar:

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Paul Heilbron

ALDC by-election report 17 February 2021 – Win in Oundle

By Paul Heilbron | Sun 20th February 2022 - 2:33 pm

A very mixed picture this week for the Lib Dems in the realm of local council by-elections. Ballots were cast across all corners of the kingdom most of which saw a Lib Dem candidate getting their teeth stuck into the contest. Concisely then, nine vacancies to fight, we stood in seven, succeeding in one. The results weren’t as good as we predicted but we can take solace in good campaigns being fought and celebrate the hard work put in by our local teams, knocking on doors, delivering leaflets, posting out focus leaflets and focusing on that squeeze vote.

The headline result of the week is undoubtedly Oundle where we secured our first councillor on the North Northamptonshire UA, what a fantastic night’s work. Only the best campaign from Charlie Best could have got the Lib Dems over the line. A 13% swing and a gain from the Conservatives rounded off a perfect night for the Oundle Lib Dem team.

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Charles Quinn

ALDC’s by-election report – 10 February 2022

By Charles Quinn | Sat 12th February 2022 - 12:45 pm

It has been a stonking week for the Lib Dems in this week’s by-elections – winning all 3 principal by-elections contested on Thursday night and coming within a whisker of taking a Town Council seat too.

In Eastleigh the local Lib Dem team held onto Eastleigh Central ward increasing their vote share by 7%.Congratulations to Cllr Bhavin Dedhia and the team on a great hold.

Eastleigh BC, Eastleigh Central ward
Liberal Democrat (Bhavin Dedhia): 781
Labour: 433
Conservative: 362
Green: 140
Reform: 64

In Somerset West and Taunton the Lib Dems gained the Independent seat of Alcombe with over 50% of the vote and a very impressive 16.7% increase in our share of the vote. Well done to newly elected Councillor Nicole Hawkins and everyone who helped on the campaign there.

Somerset West and Taunton DC, Alcombe ward
Liberal Democrat (Nicole Hawkins): 259
Conservative: 223
Labour: 21
Independent: 13

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Paul Heilbron

ALDC by-election report: Manchester gain and two holds

By Paul Heilbron | Mon 7th February 2022 - 11:19 pm

Another Thursday goes by, another action-packed week of by-elections comes with it. As always we have the tail of the tape with all the ups, downs, close calls and no-contests. In a snapshot; two Liberal Democrat holds over at Dacorum, a huge Lib Dem gain in Manchester and three other holds for Labour and Conservatives across the country complete this week’s super 6 of by-elections.

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Paul Heilbron

ALDC by-election report: 20 January 2022

By Paul Heilbron | Sun 23rd January 2022 - 10:24 am

The first intriguing by-election Thursday of 2022 was operating under the backdrop of “Partygate”. Would the shenanigans at Number 10 cut through on the local level? Can the Lib Dems strike while the irons are hot and bring home the bacon, though it’s Veganuary don’t you know? Would this week’s polls throw up any surprises? Here we have it, the round-up of all Thursday night’s by-elections.

Most notably then, Lib Dems and town council by-elections are a better match than one made in heaven. Three town council by-elections in Hatfield, Carterton and Dawlish ushered in gains, gains, gains for the native golds. Elsewhere, Labour held on in East Lothian and Charnwood BC whilst the Conservatives secured victories at Selby DC and East Lindsey DC by-elections.

There is nowhere else to start than all things town councils. A fantastic night for the Liberal Democrats ushered in a trio of successes. Tim Rowse at Hatfield TC, Natalie King at Carterton TC and Rachel Hardy at Dawlish TC all ran phenomenal campaigns and we congratulate you on your successes. What a great night to be a Liberal Democrat!

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Caron Lindsay

FOUR Lib Dem Council GAINS – What a night!

By Caron Lindsay | Fri 21st January 2022 - 12:11 am

I’m doing the by-election results for ALDC tonight, with the help of some strong painkillers. I had a bit of a fall yesterday and hurt my hip. Nothing serious, but it is sore.

Tonight’s results got the endorphins flowing though. Not one, not two, not three but FOUR gains.

One gain came in one of the Toriest parts of Oxfordshire, where we haven’t had a councillor for 15 years.

And then came gain number 3:

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Ed Fordham

ALDC honours Erlend Watson

By Ed Fordham | Tue 28th December 2021 - 5:30 pm

Today it has been announced that the Association of Liberal Democrat Councillors and Campaigners (ALDC) has conferred Life Membership upon activist, election and by-election talisman Erlend Watson.

This follows the announcement from Erlend that his health prognosis is poor following a sustained period in The Royal Papworth Hospital, Cambridge.

ALDC President, Baroness Scott of Needham Market said:

Behind every successful  Lib Dem campaign there is a vast amount of behind of the scenes work.  Erlend has given so much to campaigns all over the country for very many years doing the essential jobs which make a campaign.

He doesn’t just work tirelessly himself but is   full of encouraging words for others and is a font of knowledge especially for younger people just starting their journey with the Party.  His commitment to Liberalism is profound, and a beacon to us all.

It is perhaps appropriate to note that Erlend was born in 1963 – at precisely the date at which ALDC was coming into existence and a consensus was emerging that the party needed an independent body for local government and local campaigning.  ALDC and Erlend have a shared existence and his work over decades has been in the support and advocacy of local government.

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Paul Heilbron

ALDC by-election report: 16 December 2021

By Paul Heilbron | Mon 20th December 2021 - 10:29 am

So here we have it our round of Super Thursday! Marginals galore, incumbents getting stuffed even before the turkeys have been carved and a whole host of gains, holds, flips and squeezes.

With the potent backdrop of North Shropshire in the atmosphere, you wouldn’t be forgiven for taking your gaze from this week’s by-elections but fear not we have all the details of all sixteen polls from Thursday night’s action.

Most notably then, the Lib Dems ushered in the close of the year with fantastic gains in Roffey South, West Lindsey and last but not least a Lib Dem gain from the Conservatives in Northumberland left the council with no overall control. Elsewhere then the Conservatives held on in Lomond North, Lichfield & Tilehurst South & Holybrook

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Paul Heilbron

ALDC by-election report 9 December 2021

By Paul Heilbron | Sat 11th December 2021 - 12:05 pm

The onset of the parliamentary recess is upon us. A hiatus in the by-election schedule is just around the corner. 2021 is drawing to a conclusion. Therefore, it wouldn’t be naïve to think that the Lib Dems had wound up the victories for 2021. Nevertheless, this week’s local by-elections proved that not only do Liberal Democrats canvass all year but we also win all year round.

Central to our continued success is the fantastic work all our councillors, candidates and ardent supporters carry out without exception week in week out.

Rotherham provided a tectonic shift in the political landscape with a huge gain for the Liberal Democrats. We were propelled into second place in Torridge. Whilst Labour achieved gains from the Conservatives at Aughton & Swallownest and Old Bracknell.

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Paul Heilbron

ALDC by-election report 2 November 2021

By Paul Heilbron | Sat 4th December 2021 - 10:28 am

With the May 2022 local elections on the horizon, it is paramount the Lib Dems build up momentum going into the spring by ending the year strong and we did just that!

First and foremost, we want to thank all our valued candidates, local parties and an army of steadfast volunteers that gave Lib Dem supporters ample opportunity to support Liberal Democrat Councillors all over the country.

There were two gains in Lancaster, one loss and one gain in Hailsham, a heartfelt loss in North Norfolk and in Breckland.

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Charles Quinn

ALDC by-election report: 11 November 2021

By Charles Quinn | Fri 12th November 2021 - 8:09 pm

Thursday’s by-elections threw up some very interesting results. There was an excellent performance from the Lib Dems in Cardiff, while lots had to be drawn to decide a winner in North Kesteven in Lincolnshire!

Most of all this week we want to credit all Lib Dem candidates and local parties who stood for election and gave voters in their area the opportunity to support a Liberal Democrat on the ballot paper.

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Charles Quinn

ALDC by-election report: 4 September 2021

By Charles Quinn | Sat 6th November 2021 - 10:36 am

It has been a simply outstanding week for the Lib Dems – with a number of sensational performances and results in by-elections across the country at every level.

There was a double-helping of principle-authority gains from the Conservatives in West Sussex and Gloucester where both campaigns were helped by a Fighting Fund Grant from ALDC.

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Charles Quinn

ALDC by-election report: 21 October 2021

By Charles Quinn | Sun 24th October 2021 - 10:29 am

It was a quiet week for by-elections – with only three principle authority local by-elections taking place on Thursday. However, it was still a great week for the Lib Dems – holding two principal authority seats in Birmingham and Horsham.

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Charles Quinn

ALDC by-election report: 14 September 2021

By Charles Quinn | Sun 17th October 2021 - 12:31 pm

After a busy couple of weeks there were fewer by-elections on Thursday night. Polls were held in Surrey Heath, Harrow, Wigan, Billericay and Falkirk.

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Charles Quinn

ALDC By-election Report: 23 September 2021

By Charles Quinn | Sat 25th September 2021 - 10:30 am

There were seven local by-elections on Thursday night. It was a mixed bag of results for the Lib Dems with some great holds but a very narrow loss too.

There were two great defences in Kendal as newly elected Lib Dem Councillors Jonathan Cornthwaite (Kendal North ward, South Lakeland DC) and Phil Walker (Strickland Ward, Kendal TC) both won with just short of 50% of the vote. Congratulations to Jonathan, Phil and the Lib Dem team in Kendal. The full results are below and you can find full breakdowns here.

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Charles Quinn

ALDC By-election report: 16 September 2021

By Charles Quinn | Sat 18th September 2021 - 12:30 pm

It was a very busy night for the Lib Dems with by-elections up and down the country and some amazing results. We saw a 34% swing towards the Lib Dems in a Sheffield ward, sadly short of a win. Lib Dem candidate Tanya Tucker won a fantastic gain from Labour on Bishop Auckland Town Council. Jack Ashington Carter won polling 74% of the vote for a Malvern Town Council ward. Alton Wooteys held his ward on Alton Town Council with in increased share of the vote.

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The Voice

Look at all those Lib Dem GAINS and HOLDS

By The Voice | Sat 21st August 2021 - 1:38 pm

It was a cracker of a night on Thursday:

A great story from Rutland where Paul Browne was elected half a century after first standing as a Liberal candidate in 1970

And the rest of the results

Such a near miss but great chance for next time.

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Ollie Bradfield

ALDC by-election report: 29th July 2021

By Ollie Bradfield | Sat 31st July 2021 - 10:38 am

With Lib Dems competing in four of the five principal authority by-elections on Thursday, this really was one to watch. Two fantastic principal authority gains in Harrogate and Norfolk, and some great town council performances with a win in Knaresborough and near miss in Woodley meant a good night for Lib Dems.

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Ollie Bradfield

By-election report from ADLC: 22nd July 2021

By Ollie Bradfield | Sat 24th July 2021 - 10:33 am

A very mixed picture this week in the world of local council by-elections. From the highs of the phenomenal hold in Camden, to the lows of not even standing in a Liberal Democrat held seat. Of the eight principal authority contests across England and Wales this week, we only stood in four. It’s essential that we, as a political party that takes local government and community seriously, give voters a Liberal Democrat to vote for at every available opportunity. Nevertheless, we also saw some good performances in some town and parish councils this week, managing to gain two seats, and seeing a narrow miss in another.

The headline story is of course winning the Fortune Green by-election in Camden.

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