Council by-elections

There were four by-elections yesterday:

Plaistow Ward, Chichester DC. Con hold. Con 455 (52.7%, -8.3), LD 408 (47.3%, +20.6). Swing of 14.5% from Con to LD since 2011.

Goresbrook Ward, LB Barking & Dagenham. Lab hold. Lab 1113 (57.8%, +14.2), BNP 593 (30.8%, +3.5),  UKIP 91 (4.7%, +4.7), Con 81 (4.2%, -8.9), LD 48 (2.5%, -6.8). Swing of 5.4% from BNP to Lab since 2010.

Watlington Division, Oxfordshire CC. Con hold. Con 865 (62.2%, -6.6), LD 259 (18.6%, +3.7), Lab 157 (11.3%, +6.7), UKIP 110 (7.9%, +7.9). Swing of 5.2% from Con to LD since 2009.

Spitalfields & Banglatown Ward, LB Tower Hamlets. Ind gain from Lab. Ind 1030 (44.9%, -0.5), Lab 987 (43%, +5.3), Con 140 (6.1%, -3.1), Green 99 (4.3%, +0.8), LD 39 (1.7%, -0.5). Swing of 2.9% from Ind/Respect to Lab since Dec 2010 by-election. I have compared the Independent vote share with that of Respect in 2010 as the local political situation suggests this is a sensible basis for comparison. The winner was a supporter of Independent Mayor Lutfur Rahman.