Mark Pack

The general election in Ashfield is looking more and more interesting. The late decision of Labour MP Geoff Hoon to stand down is a bonus for Liberal Democrat candidate Jason Zadrozny and now in a council by-election in the constituency this week the Liberal Democrats have taken a seat from Labour with a 23% swing.

The Association of Liberal Democrat Councillors (ALDC) says of the winning campaign:

We won the county seat last June with 49.7% of the vote so mopping up one of the District seats should perhaps come as no surprise, but it’s still a welcome fillip in the run up to the General election and an opportunity for some intensive Voter ID and general doorstep contact. The majority of our vote last June in the county election came from the Lib Dem held Eastwood North district seat so the large, historically Labour voting council estate in Eastwood South presented a challenge. Our enthusiastic team focussed on voter contact on foot and the phone and a massive poster display together with the usual literature campaign. A great result that bodes well for May!

Result details:

LD Keith Longdon 985 (53.1; +34.0)
Lab 484 (26.1; -12.1)
Con 387 (20.9; -0.4)
[Others (0.0; -5.2)]
[BNP (0.0; -16.3)]
Majority 501
LD gain from Lab
Percentage change is since May 2007