It has been a good week for defences, with seven of nine principal council by-elections resulting in a hold for the incumbent party. The Tories held two of their four defences; a head-to-head with Labour for the Tithebarn ward on Wyre Borough Council where they sauntered in with 73% of the vote; and in the Maidenblower division of West Sussex County Council with a less impressive 64%. The only seats to change hands on the 7th both went from Tory to Labour. In the Irwell ward on Rossendale Borough Council the Conservatives dropped almost 14% of their previous vote, mainly to the Rossendale Lib Dems who took 24% on their first attempt, and Labour crept over the line with a marginal increase. The Tilgate ward of Crawley saw the absence of both the Liberal Democrats and BNP from last time around give Labour the 15% boost that carried them to victory. In addition to this gain, Labour successfully defended the Healey and Whitworth seat on Rossendale, where they put on 20%. Down by the seaside, the Morecambe Bay Independents held in the Harbour ward of Lancaster City Council, where Labour’s absence from the ballot generated a rising tide that lifted most other boats by a couple of points. Over the border in Wales, Llais Gwynedd was back in full voice after last week’s defeat, seeing off Plaid with a full majority in the battle for the Seiont ward on Gwynedd Unitary Authority.
In the first of our two defences this week, Ben Charpelard and the Tunbridge Wells Lib Dems saw off the Conservatives and the Green Party with a handsome 64% of the vote in St. James’ ward. Congratulations to Ben and the team. Our featured election this week is the successful defence of the Saxondale ward on Blaby District Council, which saw a real commitment of time and resources from both of the other major parties. In a suburban ward on the outskirts of Leicester, candidate Christine Merrill’s campaign emphasised the importance of the local Lib Dem team and their all-year-round work for the people of Saxondale. The local Focus has a strong reputation, built over 25 years of consistent delivery, and played a key role in defusing a number of misleading claims put out by the increasingly desperate Conservatives, who crashed to their lowest percentage vote share in the ward’s history. Labour popped up, on what is historically unfamiliar territory, with a national focus and some telephone canvassing, and grabbed a handful of votes that had previously broken our way in their absence. The real lesson of the Saxondale result is that a consistent, and consistently delivered, Focus can quickly become a valuable part of the community, a trusted source of local news, and a vital tool in any Liberal Democrat armoury. In the words of the Saxondale team “Treasure Your Focus!”. Congratulations to all, and the best of luck to all our teams out in the field.
ALDC By-elections Team