Political

Victory for Lib Dems as Nancy Jirira elected to succeed Flick Rea

Eight principal authority council by-elections this week, including the contest to succeed Lib Dem legend Flick Rea in Fortune Green ward, Camden:

Elsewhere:

(The Lib Dems have never stood in this ward, all the way back to it first being up for election in 1995.)

One of the oddest results for some time came in Somerset:

Roben Franklin was the Lib Dem candidate and has responded to the result with impressive determination.

Other than in a 2013 by-election, the Lib Dems have never fought this ward since it was first up in 2003.

Bicram Athwal stood for the Lib Dems, making it twice in a row the party has contested this seat after not standing in 2015.

Sue Arrowsmith stood for the Liberal Democrats.

The Lib Dems last stood in this ward in 2011, not standing in the now three contests since then.

A few parish and town council by-elections have also been reported on by ALDC, though as ever beware that those spotted tend to be the ones the Lib Dems are doing better in:

Just eight votes in that!

Finally, as ALDC says:

OUT NOW: Fully revised and updated third edition of 101 Ways To Win An Election, including several completely new chapters. Find out more and get your copy here.

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.

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2 responses to “Victory for Lib Dems as Nancy Jirira elected to succeed Flick Rea”

  1. 1st thoughts. Is there a pattern in what Conservatives are ‘selling’ threatening? or are they selling on local issues

  2. While you note that the result in Congresbury and Puxton ward in North Somerset is one of the “oddest” results for some time and it certainly is on the face of it – Andrew Teale’s previews does note that it has a very strong Green tradition. This ward was apparently one the *first* two wards *ever* won by the Greens in 1986 and elected Green councillors since then until 2019. They didn’t then stand a candidate in 2019 for some undisclosed reason and the Lib Dems picked it up.

    http://www.britainelects.com/2021/07/22/previewing-the-council-by-elections-of-22-july-2021/

    I hope that the TPTB in the Lib Dems are noting the strength of the Green vote and that is a chunk of voters that should essentially be voting Lib Dem that are voting Green – although it is slightly diminished since the C&A by-election. But they are ahead of the Lib Dems in the youngest age groups. This may be a chunk of voters that we can bring to us – along with similar voters who are currently Labour or Tory.

    With:
    Clearer bolder messaging on climate change and the Environment.
    Drawing a line under the coalition (parties are always too slow and hesitant to do that – see Tory and Labour passim).
    And yes going back to free university tuition fees – if we are to attract younger voters – they could be paid for by borrowing – we borrow for them already just as individuals.

    Davey’s strategy seems to be one of “one more heave” of Focus deliveries will win it – in at least some parliamentary seats. Lynton Crosby’s Q&A at the Oxford Union on youtube shows how he derailed us in Yeovil and other seats in 2015 with an effective national strategy “trumping” any local hard work. And this could well happen again!

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