Big swing from Labour to Lib Dems in West Green ward, Haringey by-election
Five council by-elections, one an unusual Wednesday contest, make up this week’s batch of contests – but disappointingly not a full slate of Liberal Democrat candidates.
Sutton Junction & Harlow Wood, Ashfield
The unusual Wednesday contest, in a council with very unusual politics:
Sutton Junction & Harlow Wood (Ashfield) result:
ASHI: 81.9% (+81.9)
LAB: 9.3% (-28.6)
CON: 4.6% (-20.0)
D&V: 2.5% (+2.5)
UKIP: 1.2% (+1.2)
LDEM: 0.5% (-37.0)Ashfield Independent GAIN from Labour.
— Britain Elects (@BritainElects) December 13, 2018
The Ashfield Independents are predominantly ex-Liberal Democrats.
Martin Howes stood for the Liberal Democrats – and thank you for flying the flag for the party Martin.
Dee and Glenkens, Dumfries and Galloway
No Liberal Democrat candidate this time, even though the party contested this ward last time out.
Dee & Glenkens (Dumfries & Galloway) first preferences:
CON: 45.9% (+11.8)
SNP: 28.0% (+8.0)
IND: 15.5% (+15.5)
GRN: 9.3% (+2.9)
UKIP: 1.3% (+1.3)Conservative HOLD.
No Ind(s) (-34.1), Labour (-4.7) and Lib Dem (-1.8) as prev.
— Britain Elects (@BritainElects) December 14, 2018
West Green, Haringey
Haringey was the scene of striking Lib Dem gains from Labour in the May local elections and this by-election was caused by a Labour councillor being convicted of possession of drugs and having seemingly kept secret his impending conviction during his council selection process.
Elizabeth Payne stood for the Liberal Democrats and scored a big swing:
LAB HOLD #WestGreen (#Haringey) with 56% (-7) of the votes.
LDM are 2nd on 28% (+19), GRN 3rd on 11% (-3) and CON 4th on 5% (-4).
No IND (-5) as previous. pic.twitter.com/0o96VDABQi
— Election Maps UK (@ElectionMapsUK) December 13, 2018
Toddbrook, Harlow
Christopher Millington stood for the Lib Dems, which was particularly welcome as there had been no Lib Dem in four of the previous five contests in this ward:
LAB HOLD #Toddbrook (#Harlow) with 51% (-3) of votes.
CON were 2nd on 34% (=), UKIP 3rd on 10% (+3) and LDM 4th on 5% (+5).
No Harlow Alliance (-5) as previous. pic.twitter.com/j2A6OK2NWL
— Election Maps UK (@ElectionMapsUK) December 13, 2018
Brambles and Thorntree, Middlesbrough
Paul Hamilton stood for the Lib Dems, an improvement on last time when the party had no candidate:
LAB HOLD #Brambles and #Thorntree (#Middlesbrough) with 58% (+11) of votes.
The Independent was 2nd on 29% (+6), CON 3rd on 8% (=) and LDM 4th on 5% (+5).
No UKIP (-22) as previous. pic.twitter.com/7Ig5X724Wa
— Election Maps UK (@ElectionMapsUK) December 14, 2018
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.
What did the party do wrong to allow the Lib Demmers in Ashfield to go Independant.? Slip ups have to be learned from .I do note that Indies seem to be doing well (with a little improvement with us). Could their be weariness within voters of the main parties including us but to a lesser degree? More pushing on everyday problems could help, eg rise in poverty , less social mobility, the things that effect people on a day to day basis.
Elizabeth’s success in West Green ward in Haringey is all the more remarkable given it is one of the safest Labour wards in North London. West Green is in Tottenham and contains totemic Broadwater Farm estate, the scene of infamous riots in 1985 and a bastion of hard left. All local Labour activists were deployed pounding the streets throughout the day to get the vote out. Important party figures like John McDonnel and Jon Lansman lent a hand. They heavily outnumbered Lib Dems as they always do in Tottenham. But, a brilliant, targeted and disciplined campaign by Lib Dems had already persuaded a number of residents that we are a real alternative to the long, uninterrupted reign of the “Tottenham left”. Our two PPCs Tammy Palmer and Dawn Barnes were most generous and tireless in the support they gave to Elizabeth, as were other sitting councillors, and made me proud to be a Haringey Lib Dem.
My favourite moment was when an elderly Kurdish woman turned up at Walpole Rd polling station clutching one of our leaflets with Elizabeth’s picture and name on it, repeating “Her, her my girl”. You don’t often see that in Tottenham. A sign of things to come I hope.