A blog by Luke Akehurst about politics, elections, and the Labour Party - With subtitles for the Hard of Left. Just for the record: all the views expressed here are entirely personal and do not necessarily represent the positions of any organisations I am a member of.

Friday, August 01, 2008

Council by-elections

Last night's council by-election results:

Pentyrch Ward, Cardiff CC. Con hold. Con 554 (41.9%, +7.5), Lab 542 (41%, +10.2), Plaid 129 (9.8%, -10), LD 97 (7.3%, -0.6). Swing 1.4% from Con to Lab since 1 May. Not a bad result given the national picture.

Whickham & Sunniside Ward, Gateshead MBC. LD hold. LD 1612 (72.5%, +4.4), Lab 394 (17.7%, +4.2), Con 217 (9.8%, -8.6). Swing 0.1% from Lab to LD since 1 May. Tory vote seems to have collapsed in a middle class part of Tyneside, allowing Lab to move into a very distant second place to LDs.

Louth Wolds Division, Lincolnshire CC. Con hold. Con 1013 (49.9%, +13.5), Ind 361 (17.8%, -0.6), LD 304 (15%, -18.3), BNP 219 (10.8%, +10.8), Lab 75 (3.7%, +3.7), UKIP 59 (2.9%, -9). Swing 7% from Ind to Con since 2005.

Oadby Uplands Ward, Oadby & Wigston BC. LD hold. LD 774 (55.3%, +1.7), Con 625 (44.7%, +16.3). Swing 7.3% from LD to Con since 2007, with Lab not running this time.

Witnesham Ward, Suffolk Coastal DC. Con hold. Con 316 (53.7%, -28.8), LD 272 (46.3%, +46.3). No Lab candidate although we got 17.5% in 2007.

4 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

The Pentyrch By-Election result is good for both the Conservatives and Labour. It covers two rather strange villages which aren't really connected to Cardiff at all although covered by its city council.

The Labour vote in Pentyrch is strangely robust and the Conservative vote struggled to exceed it in May and thankfully has held up now.

The Pentyrch result is bad for Plaid quite clearly. Pentyrch has been one of their better Cardiff wards and is nextdoor to a very safe Plaid ward. I think they may have held back this time to allow the LibDems to unleash their full by-election machine (The LibDems and Plaid are in coalition on Cardiff Council).

The LibDems have performed comically badly. They nominated a former councillor and held what local expert Nicholas Webb called "A very big campaign". To fall back on their May position (for which no campaigning was held) is quite embarrassing.

I think what this election shows more than any thing else is that people in Pentyrch are not particularly responsive to campaigning.

12:48 pm, August 01, 2008

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Luke it's not Tyneside, or even Durham, that the Labour party need to worry about in that area of England.

It's Wearside thats showing worrying signs.

If the next batch of Council elections follow the trend of the previous two, then Labour will no longer hold the area of Sunderland.

Utterly unthinkable - even three years ago!!

2:31 pm, August 01, 2008

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

NewWelshRight said... The Pentyrch By-Election result ... covers two rather strange villages ...

"Two strange villages"? In Wales? Well, I never!

3:34 am, August 03, 2008

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

After being bombarded with mailshots, leaftets and doorstep campaigners from all parties, if there was an option "none of the above" I for one would have jumped at it.

I am sure all this cost could have been better spent helping the community, campaign promises such as extra litter bins if elected..... well put up and sponsor some in the villages and next time have the bragging rights for this action rather than push a small tree through my letter box.

PS we're not that strange !

11:26 am, August 05, 2008

 

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