Council by-elections

Apologies for the late reporting of this week’s council by-elections. I was busy getting married and going on honeymoon, which seemed a bit more of a priority!

There were three by-elections on Thursday (though technically the Somerset one was a deferred election, delayed from 2 May by the death of the previous UKIP candidate). The results were extraordinarily contrasting:

Rawmarsh Ward, Rotherham MBC. UKIP gain from Lab. UKIP 1143 (46.5%, +46.5), Lab 1039 (42.3%, -24), Con 107 (4.4%, -8.5), BNP 80 (3.3%, -17.6), TUSC 61 (2.5%, +2.5), LD 28 (1.1%, +1.1). Swing of 35.3% from Lab to UKIP since 2012. This shows that with the right local circumstances UKIP can be a threat in safe Labour areas as well as Tory ones. This is in Wentworth & Dearne constituency.

Coker Division, Somerset CC. Con gain from LD (notional). Con 1303 (37.8%, -4.8), LD 1079 (31.3%, -14.1), UKIP 702 (20.4%, +20.4), Lab 195 (5.7%, +5.7), Green 165 (4.8%, +4.8). Swing of 4.7% from LD to Con since 2009. The solid Tory performance in holding onto control of Somerset on 2 May confirmed. NB there were boundary changes in this division.

Melcombe Regis Ward, Weymouth & Portland BC. Lab gain from Con. Lab 279 (26.4%, +7.9), Con 258 (24.5%, -9), Ind 204 (19.4%, +19.4), LD 170 (16.1%, -13.3), Green 143 (13.6%, -5.3). Swing of 8.5% from Con to Lab since 2012. Another strong Labour performance in the South Dorset constituency (Labour held from 2001-2010) following on from five county council gains on 2 May.