Council by-election results incl. Lab gain from BNP

Last night's council by-election results:

Dewsbury E Ward, Kirklees MBC. Lab gain from BNP. Lab 1513 (37.4%, -2), LD 1405 (34.8%, +14.3), BNP 690 (17.1%, -10.6), Con 345 (8.5%, -3.9), Green 58 (1.4%, +1.4), Ind 17 (0.0%), Ind 15 (0.0%). Swing of 8.2% from Lab to LD since May this year. This result makes Labour the join largest party on Kirklees, composition of which is now Lab 22, Con 22, LD 19, Green 4, BNP 1, Ind 1. By-election caused by the resignation of the BNP's C0lin Auty after failing to oust Nick Griffin as leader. Is in Shahid Malik's marginal Dewsbury seat (Con target number 95) where the BNP took over 5,000 votes in the last General Election.

South Bank Ward, Redcar & Cleveland UA. Lab hold. Lab 652 (49.9%, -0.6), LD 288 (22.1%, +12.3), BNP 206 (15.8%, +1.4), Ind 101 (7.7%, -7.3), Con 59 (4.5%, -5.8). Swing of 6.5% from Lab to LD since 2007, but a better result than the other Redcar & Cleveland by-election earlier in the month.

Churchdown Brookfield Ward, Tewkesbury DC. Ind gain from LD. Ind 598 (39%, +2.2), LD 508 (33.2%, -7), Con 364 (23.8%, +5.8), Lab 62 (4%, -1). Swing of 4.6% from LD to Ind since 2007.

Tudor Ward, Watford BC. LD hold. LD 932 (50%, +3.1), Con 486 (26.1%, -12.4), Lab 273 (14.6%, +4), Green 91 (4.9%, +0.9), BNP 83 (4.4%, +4.4). Swing of 7.8% from Con to LD since May. Good increase in the Labour vote in a poor ward for us in a 3-way parliamentary marginal (Con target number 38, LD target number 7).