Five by-elections, three seats change hands but only two Lib Dem candidates
Before we even got to Thursday this week, there was already one by-election, for the always different City of London Corporation. In addition to not following that closely the tradition of having elections on Thursdays, City of London elections are different for being dominated by independent candidates and for giving votes not only to residents but also to businesses based on the number of people they employ. Hence the exclusion of these contests from most round-ups of seat and vote changes. Here though is the result for your delectation:
Castle Baynard (City of London) Result:
LAB: 27.8% (+27.8)
IND (Malins): 21.3% (+21.3)
IND (Raja): 13.4% (+13.4)
IND (Emerson): 13.0% (+13.0)
IND (Rounding): 10.1% (+10.1)
IND (Humphreys): 8.3% (+8.3)
IND (Oliver): 4.3% (+4.3)
IND (Becker): 1.5% (+1.5)LAB GAIN from IND
— Election Maps UK (@ElectionMapsUK) October 9, 2018
One of those independents was a Liberal Democrat, Merlene Emerson, who has written for Lib Dem Voice about contesting the seat.
On now to this week’s five conventional council by-elections, four defended by Labour and one a Ukip seat but without a Ukip candidate this time around.
Southlands, Adur
Caused by the resignation of the Ukip group leader, who previously (when a Conservative) had lost his seat to his wife and also, unusually, resigned to (successfully) fight a by-election when he switched parties to Ukip. Ukip is not putting up anyone to defend his seat and, alas, the Liberal Democrats are also no-shows despite having fought the ward the last eight times it was contested.
Southlands (Adur) result:
LAB: 45.9% (+16.9)
CON: 40.5% (+10.6)
GRN: 13.5% (+13.5)No UKIP (-31.2) and LDem (-9.8) as prev.
Lab GAIN from UKIP.
— Britain Elects (@BritainElects) October 12, 2018
The days of Adur being a bastion of Liberal Democrat local government success seem to still be a long way off.
Ditton, Halton
A Labour ward with a Lib Dem candidate for this first time since 2008. Well done David Coveney and team.
Ditton (Halton) result:
LAB: 73.5% (-4.7)
CON: 15.4% (-6.4)
LDEM: 11.1% (+11.1)Labour HOLD.
— Britain Elects (@BritainElects) October 12, 2018
Hart, Hartlepool
No Lib Dem candidate here, continuing the run of five previous contests in the ward since its creation, all without a party candidate (though on previous boundaries further back, the area elected Lib Dems).
Hart (Hartlepool) result:
IND: 44.1% (+44.1)
LAB: 40.2% (+9.2)
CON: 13.8% (-7.0)
GRN: 1.9% (+0.0)No UKIP (-25.7) and 'Putting Hartlepool First' (-20.6) as prev.
Independent GAIN from Labour.
— Britain Elects (@BritainElects) October 12, 2018
Penketh and Cuerdley, Warrington
David Crowther was the Liberal Democrat candidate in this Labour ward in a by-election caused by the death of Allin Dirir, the first Somali elected to public office in the UK.
Penketh & Cuerdley (Warrington) result:
IND: 36.1% (+36.1)
LAB: 31.8% (-19.0)
CON: 22.1% (-19.2)
LDEM: 4.6% (-3.3)
UKIP: 3.2% (+3.2)
GRN: 2.2% (+2.2)Independent GAIN from Labour.
— Britain Elects (@BritainElects) October 12, 2018
Tanhouse, West Lancashire
No Liberal Democrat candidate this time, as in the previous ten contests since the ward was created.
Tanhouse (West Lancashire) result:
LAB: 72.3% (-12.8)
IND: 20.1% (+20.1)
CON: 7.6% (-7.3)Labour HOLD.
— Britain Elects (@BritainElects) October 12, 2018
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These by-election results round-ups cover principal authority by-elections. See my post The danger in celebrating parish and town council wins for your own party for the reasons to avoid straying too often into covering town, parish or community council by-elections.
Seem Labour are sneaking in and splitting the vote In the London seat..Is this part of a council or is it a stand alone ward?As it seems to be a business region Labour can ‘take over’ its business How powerful is this region in influence on the national scene?. It may be more influencle than we think. We must stand in it.
Are the Independents on the rise with voters being turned off the main parties?
ADUR ETC.. Can someone be parachuted in from next door wards (or somewhere else) to build up a core vote in these regions These could be tested to see if anybody in the regions are interested in becoming ,to start with, associate members leading to standing as candidates. They can be used as a sort of test base for Vinces new plans. The idea will gain traction as we develop further. If we can learn now we can have an infrastructure in place when the time comes to grow.
Hi Mark, Thanks for all your publications on the first part of my comment:
If we are building our core vote, we must be working and standing for election in every area, every constituency and ward in UK. Tall order, indeed, but it must be the right objective as you have said – in order to allow voters to vote LibDem and not another party to which they will become used to voting for positively.
As our member and supporter numbers increase, mostly in our stronghold areas no doubt, local groups are probably discussing how to spread themselves across their area and other weaker areas nearby. I would like to read from our various spokespersons what plans they are working on locally to embed our party in every community. If this is already outlined on other websites, please let members know where it is. I just checked on our party’s website and cannot read anything connected to this.
Why are Labour losing 2 seats in separate northern seats to independents? Is there any background to what is going on?