Council by-elections

There were seven council by-elections yesterday. I initially assumed the Cambridge result shows how strong the Lib Dem organisation is in some of their defensive parliamentary marginals, even against Labour, but have since been informed this ward is actually in the South Cambs parliamentary seat and has only ever been won once by Labour, in 2012.

The two Dartford results look better than I would have expected for Labour in the Thames Estuary area where UKIP are on the march. In vote share terms the Labour vote looks more solid across this set of results than the recent national polls would suggest.

Queen Edith’s Ward, Cambridge CC. LD gain from Lab. LD 933 (36.5%, -6.1), Lab 790 (30.9%, +1.1), Con 614 (24%, +7.7), Green 222 (8.7%, -2.7). Swing of 3.6% from LD to Lab since May this year.

Brent Ward, Dartford BC. Con hold. Con 597 (45.4%, -7.4), Lab 402 (30.6%, -5.1), UKIP 316 (24%, +24). Swing of 0.7% from Con to Lab since 2011.

Littlebrook Ward, Dartford BC. Lab hold. Lab 358 (47.7%, -7.1), UKIP 220 (29.3%, +29.3), Con 172 (22.9%, -1.1). Swing of 18.2% from Lab to UKIP since 2011.

Alport & Derwent Division, Derbyshire CC. Con 1118 (44.9%, +2.6), UKIP 715 (28.7%, +3.3), Lab 656 (26.4%, +2.1). Swing of 0.4% from Con to UKIP since 2013.

Bolney Ward, Mid Sussex DC. Con hold. Con 261 (42.9%, -24.3), UKIP 187 (30.7%, +17.4), LD 161 (26.4%, +6.9). Swing of 20.9% from Con to UKIP since 2011.

Douglas Ward, Wigan MBC. Lab hold. Lab 874 (59.4%, -0.7), UKIP 452 (30.7%, -0.9), Con 80 (5.4%, -3), Green 37 (2.5%, +2.5), CAP 29 (2%, +2). Swing of 0.1% from UKIP to Lab since May this year.

Bulmershe & Whitegates Ward, Wokingham UA. Con gain from LD. Con 726 (35.4%, +8.4), Lab 498 (24.3%, -10), LD 448 (21.8%, +4.1), UKIP 275 (13.4%, -1.6), Green 105 (5.1%, -1). Swing of 9.2% from Lab to Con since May this year.