Council by-elections and changes of control and some personal news

I've had a busy week as my second son, Ben, was born on Wednesday at the Homerton Hospital by emergency Cesarean. He's a healthy 9lb12 and he and my partner Linda are both doing well and should be home tomorrow.

 

 

Only one council by-election to report:

Hamilton West and Earnock Ward, South Lanarkshire Council. SNP gain from Ind. First preference  votes: SNP 822 (50%, +24.9), Lab 607 (36.9%, -1.2), Con 214 (13.0%, +3.4). Turnout was only 11.8% due to the awful weather in Scotland today. Swing of 13.1% from Lab to SNP since 2007.

Some better news at the other end of the country in Thanet, Kent, where Labour has taken minority control of the District Council tonight following a Tory councillor defecting to independent.