Tag Archives: aldc local government by-elections

Charles Quinn

ALDC by-election report, 13th July 2023

By Charles Quinn | Fri 14th July 2023 - 7:10 pm

This week saw 4 principal council by-elections. There were Lib Dem candidates in all 4 which is a really good benchmark to hit. In all elections the Lib Dem share of the vote moved forwards.

We also celebrated some very impressive gains in Town Council by-elections in Melksham and Chippenham. Congratulations to the local teams there.

Two by-elections took place in Newham LBC. Thank you to David Terrar (Boleyn ward) and Claire Pattie (Well End ward) for making sure there was a Lib Dem choice on the ballot paper. The Lib Dems had not contested the last election in both wards – so this is great progress. In Well End we jumped immediately to 3rd place leapfrogging both the Green Party and Reform UK.

Newham LBC, Boleyn ward
Independent: 1153 (42.5%, +42.5%)
Labour: 871 (32.1%, -27%)
Green Party: 572 (21.1%, +3.5%)
Conservative: 69 (2.5%, -15.6%)
Reform: 23 (0.8%, +0.8%)
Liberal Democrat (David Terrar): 22 (0.8%, +0.8%)

Independent GAIN from Labour

Newham LBC, Well End ward
Labour: 1659 (61.1%, +12.5)
Conservative: 739 (27.2%, +12.3)
Liberal Democrat (Claire Pattie): 138 (5.1%, +5.1%)
Green Party: 123 (4.5%, -4.5)
Reform: 58 (2.1%, -0.2)

Labour HOLD

On Norfolk County Council we had a great result in West Depwade ward – gaining an extra 7.4% of the vote and finishing just 250 votes away from topping the poll. Thank you and congratulations to Ian Spratt on a great result. The Green Party gained the ward from the Conservatives.

Norfolk CC, West Depwade
Green Party: 663 (29%, +19.7%)
Conservative: 582 (25.4%, -18.2%)
Liberal Democrat (Ian Spratt): 409 (17.9%, +7.4%)
Independent: 405 (17.7%, -6%)
Labour: 228 (10%, -2.8%)

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Alan Good

ALDC by-election report: 26th January 2023

By Alan Good | Fri 27th January 2023 - 4:39 pm

Laying the groundwork in the north…

A solitary by-election occurred this week, in Rotherham Council. In 2021, Keppel ward returned 2 Labour and 1 localist councillor, of the Rotherham Democratic Party. Last night saw a surge of 12% in the Lib Dem vote, with Khoulod Ghanem achieving 445 votes, 300 behind Labour.

Also notable was the collapse in Conservative vote, going down by 25% compared to the previous election in this ward.

Rotherham is a region where we’re a growing presence, gaining 3 seats in 2021. This is a fantastic result for the party making in-roads to new areas of the city. Going from coming last out of 5 parties, in a ward where we didn’t stand a full slate of candidates for the all up elections, to coming second in less than 2 years is excellent. This is what we can achieve when we stand candidates and campaign! Really well done to everyone involved, a solid basis to win in the future! Full results below:

Keppel, Rotherham MBC

LAB: 745 (36.0%, -3.0%)

LDEM: 445 (21.5%, +12.6%)

IND: 381 (18.4%, +18.4%)

YP: 314 (15.2%, +0.2%)

CON: 119 (5.8%, -25.0%)

GRN: 59 (2.9%, +2.9%)

No RDP (Rotherham Democratic Party)

LAB GAIN from RDP.

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Alan Good

ALDC by-election report: 12th January 2023

By Alan Good | Fri 13th January 2023 - 7:25 pm

Only two principal by-elections occurred this week, a double whammy in Plymouth City Council. Huge congrats to Mike Gillbard and Colin Mackenzie for standing in Plympton Chaddlewood and Moor View – especially as we didn’t stand a candidate in Plymptom Chaddlewood last time! The Conservatives lost both seats; one to the Greens, another to Labour.

Over in Wells City Council, we had a Parish Council by-election where the Liberal Democrats took a seat from the Wells Independents with over half the vote share! Amazing news for Georgie Robbins and the Wells Liberal Democrats!

Little by little, the blue wall is crumbling. Full results below:

St Cuthbert’s Ward, Wells City Council

Georgie Robbins (Liberal Democrats): 436 (52.8%)
Wells Independents: 214 (25.9%)
Conservative Party Candidate: 176 (21.3%)

Liberal Democrat GAIN from Independent

Plympton Chaddlewood, Plymouth City Council

Green: 653 (44.9%, +1.6%)
Conservative: 425 (29.2%, -18.4%)
Independent: 182 (12.5%, +12.5%)
Labour: 147 (10.1%, +0.9%)
Liberal Democrat (Mike Gillbard): 33 (2.3%, +2.3%)
TUSC: 15 (1.0%, +1.0%)

Green GAIN from Conservative

Moor View, Plymouth City Council

Labour: 1415 (53.2%, +23.9)
Conservative: 877 (33.0%, -30.5)
Independent: 184 (6.9%, +6.9)
Green: 87 (3.3%, -1.1)
Liberal Democrat (Colin Alexander Mackenzie): 77 (2.9%, +0.6)
TUSC: 18 (0.7%, +0.2)

Labour GAIN from Conservative

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Alan Good

ALDC by-election report, 6th January 2023

By Alan Good | Fri 6th January 2023 - 12:02 pm

A bite-sized start to by-elections in 2023, with just two taking place. In Uttlesford, Essex, the Conservatives took victory over localist Residents for Uttlesford, beating them 375 to 238. Lorraine Flawn of the Lib Dems achieved 88 votes, where no Lib Dem stood last time! Excellent news, and congrats to Lorraine and the Uttlesford Lib Dems.

Over in Cannock Chase, Labour edged the Conservatives by the cursed 52-48 margin, a testament to the binary systems of British politics. Labour and the Conservatives were helped – or were they hindered? – by a lack of third parties, with Greens, Independents and the Lib Dems choosing not to field candidates. Once a Lib Dem stronghold, we know not how we would have fared in disrupting the two-party system. Full results below:

Great Dunmow South & Barnston, Uttlesford DC

Conservative: 375 (46.0%, +16.7%)
Residents for Uttlesford: 238 (29.2%, -27.2%)
Labour: 115 (14.1%, +2.0%)
Liberal Democrat (Lorraine Flawn): 88 (10.8%, +10.%)

Conservative GAIN from Residents for Uttlesford

 

Etching Hill and The Heath, Cannock Chase DC

Labour: 422 (52.3%, +17.0%)
Conservative: 385 (47.7%, -0.3%)

No IND (-9.9%) or GRN (-6.8%) as previous.

No Lib Dem candidate.

Labour GAIN from Conservative

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Alan Good

ALDC by-election report: 22nd December

By Alan Good | Fri 23rd December 2022 - 9:23 pm

Your 2022 by-elections in review! Many congratulations to Lib Dems across the country year this, as we won  51 council by-elections this year, including 30 gains from other parties (Conservative, Labour, Green Party and independents). This is a net gain of 25 seats – significantly more than other parties!

Voters went to the ballot box in only one place this week, as the one and only by-election rounds off 2022 for Christmas. In Normanby ward in Redcar and Cleveland, we thank Tracy Jacobs for standing for the Lib Dems! A narrow Conservative gain from Labour, with multiple independents taking chunks of the vote – full results below:

Normanby, Redcar & Cleveland UA

Conservative: 389
Labour: 357
Independent: 143
Independent: 109
Liberal Democrat (Tracy Jacobs): 38

Conservative GAIN from Labour

 

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Alan Good

ALDC by-election report: 8th December

By Alan Good | Fri 9th December 2022 - 5:31 pm

Seven by-elections were held in sub-zero temperatures yesterday, including a double vacancy! Our coverage is up, having stood 6 out of 8 potential candidates.

But what’s got Lib Dems chattering more than the cold is the fantastic result in Landkey ward in North Devon, where newly-elected Victoria Nel takes us into full control of the district council. A smashing success to Victoria and all the team in North Devon for placing another yellow brick in the blue wall!

A double vacancy in Colchester yielded a win each for the Lib Dems and Labour after both Independents handed in their resignations. Many congratulations to Alison Jay for being elected to represent Highwoods, and commiserations to Chantelle Whyborn who was our second candidate.

Over in Medway Council, Ben Rist flew the Lib Dem flag in Peninsula ward, and scored 29 votes – well done for standing Ben!

Up in Dumfries & Galloway, the Conservatives mopped up a win from Labour, winning on 2nd preference ballots. Many thanks to Iain McDonald for standing for the Lib Dems!

Further north in Lincolnshire, it’s an all-out fight between Conservatives and Independents, with one, an Independent hold, and another, a Conservative gain.

A chilly early December eve reminds me of what I’d absolutely love for Christmas… another Lib Dem-controlled council!

Full results below:

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Alan Good

ALDC by-elections report, 17th November 2022

By Alan Good | Fri 18th November 2022 - 4:55 pm

A stonking eight by-elections were held in the mid-November chill yesterday. While we may have only stood candidates in 50% of these, our presence was certainly known where we did.

The Conservatives had a poor showing, losing both defences to Labour. Scraping a win in Darwen South Ward, the latter’s eyewatering 7-vote majority in Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council highlights Liberal Democrat Mark Davies’ 137 votes. Congratulations to Mark for standing! In a similar vein, Greenlands Ward in Blackpool saw Kev Benfold secure 77 votes alongside Labour’s slender 32-vote majority over the Conservatives. Even more impressive was Kev standing in an area where no Lib Dem had done so for over 10 years! Thank you, Kev. 

Down the road in Hollinwood, Oldham, Dominic Cadman won 36 votes. Well done Dominic! Even further north, in Glasgow, Joseph McCauley racked up 294 votes – thank you Joseph! 

In all four elections where no Liberal Democrat stood, the winning party got over 60% of the vote, and in Rhondda, Labour won 80%, with the full results shown below. 

Far be it from me to inflate my knowledge of Darwen or Blackpool politics – however the occasion of third party tallies exceeding slim winning margins leaves campaigners like us in the Liberal Democrats pondering “did we have an impact, and was it worth standing a candidate?” In all cases, but especially this one, I argue; yes! 

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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 25th August

By Charles Quinn | Fri 26th August 2022 - 9:11 pm

There is just one by-election result to report this week – but what a result!

East Riding Lib Dems scored yet another stunning by-election victory – their 3rd by-election gain in 5 months – as Diana Stewart took the Conservative seat of Beverley Rural with 59.4% of the vote. That’s a 36% increase in vote-share and a thumping majority of 832!

Congratulations to newly elected Cllr Diana Stewart and the Lib Dem team in the East Riding on another amazing win – a hattrick of by-election gains after winning Bridlington North in June, and South Hunsley in April.

East Riding of Yorkshire Council, Beverley Rural ward
Liberal Democrat (Diana Stewart): 1948
Conservative: 1116
Labour: 213

The full result can be found on the ALDC by-elections page here.

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Paul Heilbron

ALDC by-election report 28th July

By Paul Heilbron | Fri 29th July 2022 - 8:00 pm

Another week goes by, another round of up all things By-elections goes live. A noticeably quiet week for principal by-elections with one only two being contested across the country. However, a very action-packed agenda on the Town Council front and more specifically, Town Council by-elections in Westhoughton, three in one evening!

As Liberal Democrats we take Town and Parish elections extremely seriously. Community politicians are the beating heart of our democracy, and we pride ourselves on representing our communities as close as possible to the people that we represent.

So here we have it one hold, one gain and one near miss rounds up a great evening for the local Liberal Democrat team in Westhoughton. Alison Jackson or should I say councillor Alison Jackson gained Ward Hoskers and Hart ward, whilst Linda Maher comfortably held onto Central ward. Commiserations go out to Ryan Hough who was pipped to the post by only 29 votes, it was nearly a perfect night for the local Liberal Democrat team!

 

Westhoughton TC, Hoskers and Hart

Liberal Democrats (Alison Jackson): 137
Labour: 90
Conservative: 89
Independent: 64

 

Westhoughton TC, Central

Liberal Democrats (Linda Maher): 276
Labour: 171
Conservative: 129
Independent: 87

 

Westhoughton TC, White Horse

Conservative: 415
Liberal Democrats (Ryan Hough): 384
Labour: 208
Independent: 52
Green: 21

 

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ALDC

ALDC By-Election Review – 14th March

By ALDC | Sat 16th March 2019 - 7:39 pm

Thursday saw three by-elections take place across the country with two Labour seats and an Independent seat up for grabs.

Southampton UA, Coxford Ward

Lab 668 Con 529 LD Sam Chapman 450 SA 368 IS 178 Ind 174 UKIP 123 Green 53 Lab gain from Ind Percentage change from 2018

With the resignation of the Independent councillor, Coxford Ward was up for grabs with eight candidates battling it out. Sam Chapman and Southampton Lib Dems put on a great campaign opposing more tax rises and service cuts from the Labour council and putting forward some great ideas to improve the city’s air quality and environment. Unfortunately, it wasn’t to be for Sam, but the success of the campaign shone through as the Lib Dem vote share increased by 14.7%. Well done to the team on a great result that leaves the party in great stead for the next round of elections this May.

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ALDC

ALDC By-election review 21st February 2019

By ALDC | Fri 22nd February 2019 - 3:15 pm

70 days to go to the local elections was celebrated in the form of two by-elections taking place across the country on 21st February.

Northamptonshire CC, Oundle
Con 1864
LD Marc Folgate 1276
Lab 403
UKIP 89
Lab 779
Con 271
LD Richard Jerrett 46
]
PC gain Lab
Percentage change from 2017

Thanks go also to Richard Jerrett and the Cardiff Lib Dem for their hard work campaigning and fighting hard for our liberal values. Despite a difficult result, it is always extremely important to have the option to vote for the Liberal Democrats and their hard work should be appreciated, especially in an …

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ALDC

ALDC By-election review 2nd November

By ALDC | Fri 2nd November 2018 - 5:26 pm

Three by-elections took place over the country last night with Lib Dem candidates spreading the word and standing in all by-elections. A quiet night saw a Lib Dem hold and a couple of tough results.

South Gloucestershire UA, Dodington

LD Louise Harris 693
Con 554
Lab 158

Turnout 25%

Louise Harris and the South Gloucestershire Lib Dems ran a great campaign to hold a seat in a close battle with the Conservatives. With UKIP not standing, a large proportion of votes were up for grabs and Louise and the team put in a great shift to gain 8.4% of the vote share. A great showing in an area that has lots of potential for a liberal future!

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ALDC

ALDC’s bumper by-election report – 14 December 2017

By ALDC | Sat 16th December 2017 - 10:13 am

A bumper set of by-elections for the last time this year, with 2 on Wednesday and 8 on Thursday. We continued our fine form of recent weeks with another gain off the Conservatives, along with 2 solid holds, ensuring that we finished December with 19.7% (+8.2%) of the vote, standing candidates in 10 of the 12 contests.

A huge thank you to last night’s brilliant team of volunteers who came to 23 New Mount Street in Manchester to make calls at ALDC’s By-election HQ. It’s always good fun with such …

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ALDC

ALDC’s by-election report 30 November 2017: A great night of by-elections

By ALDC | Fri 1st December 2017 - 8:12 pm

This local politics malarkey is all too easy, isn’t it? A full house of Lib Dem wins in the 4 by-elections across the South of England has us all cheerful as we head into the festive season, and provides us with a some inspiration for what we can achieve in 2018! Last night leaves us with a vote share of 25.3% (+12.0%) across November, with a total of 9 seats (2 holds, 7 gains, 0 losses).

Tandridge DC, Westway – Lib Dem hold
 
LD Helen Rujbally 483
Con 239
Lab 118
UKIP 62
Starting off with a brilliant hold, congratulations to Helen and everyone in Westway. This seat is normally a pretty tough fight between us and the Tories so to hold it with an absolute majority is a real testament to the campaign team in Tandridge. Very interesting to note is that the collapse in UKIP vote didn’t benefit the Tories at all here, which does seem to be the case in local elections recently. Certainly the UKIP vote seems to be quite willing to switch to us locally if we campaign effectively, leaving our prognosis looking evermore hopeful for next year!
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