A blog by Luke Akehurst about politics, elections, and the Labour Party - With subtitles for the Hard of Left. Just for the record: all the views expressed here are entirely personal and do not necessarily represent the positions of any organisations I am a member of.

Friday, October 15, 2010

Council By-elections

Last night's results, some dramatically good ones for Labour though mainly in already safe seats:
Deneside Division, Durham CC. Lab hold. Lab 917 (82.4%, +26.1) Con 196 (17.6%, +17.6). Swing of 4.3% from Con to Lab since 2008.

St Nicholas Division, Herefordshire CC. It's OUR County (Herefordshire) gain from Ind. IOC(H) 589 (45.2%, +45.2) LD 385 (29.5%, +8.5), Ind 173 (13.3%, -23), Con 156 (12.0%, -7.2). Swing of 18.4% from LD to IOC(H) since 2007.

Guiseley and Rawdon Ward, Leeds MBC. Con hold. Con 2075 (45.1%, +4.9), Lab 1708 (37.1%, +8.9), LD 818 (17.8%, -5.3). Swing of 2% from Con to Lab since May this year.

Neath North Ward, Neath/Port Talbot CBC. Lab hold. Lab 437 (57.2%, +10.4), Ind 144 (18.8%, +6.7), PC 132 (17.3%, +1.8), LD 51 (6.7%, +6.7). Swing of 1.9% from Ind to Lab since May this year.

Treherbert Ward, Rhondda Cynon Taff CBC. Lab gain from Plaid Cymru. Lab 883 (50.8%, +9.7), PC 855 (49.2%, -9.7). Swing of 9.7% from PC to Lab since 2008.

Billinge and Seneley Green Ward, St Helens MBC. Lab hold. Lab 1,388 (58.3%, +8.2), Con 624 (26.2%, -3.3), LD 229 (9.6%, -10.9), BNP 141 (5.9%, +5.9). Swing of 5.8% from Con to Lab since May this year.

Central Ward, Watford BC. LD hold. LD 696 (44.1%, +7.3), Lab 622 (39.4%, +4.8), Con 158 (10.0%, -12.2), Green 79 (5.0%, -1.4), UKIP 24 (1.5%, +1.5). Swing of 1.25% from Lab to LD since May this year.

St Pauls Ward, Winchester City Council. LD hold. LD 968 (53.2%, -4.7), Con 606 (33.3%, -2.2), Lab 247 (13.6%, +7). Swing of 1.3% from LD to Con since May this year.

Hull Road Ward, York City Council UA. Lab hold. Lab 860 (58.7%, +24.5) Con 296 (20.2%, -4.8) LD 183 (12.5%, -3.3) Green 84 (5.7%, -8.3) BNP 42 (2.9%, -8.1). Swing of 14.7% from Con to Lab since 2007.

6 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

extremely good result jim b

2:33 pm, October 16, 2010

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

You have to be joking, Luke. By far the most significant vote here is the complete failure to anything against the Libdems in Watford.
David Aaronovitch

7:24 pm, October 19, 2010

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Eh??

The Watford result shows *huge* movement to Labour since 2006-08. It shows a tiny swing back to the Libdems since GE day. Watford has had for some years huge differences in how people vote in local elections compared to national ones (and that still applies last time even though we came 3rd)

This result means Labour can hope to win back significant ground from the LibDems there in the next few local elections - even before growing government unpopularity is factored in ;-)

I presume you are DA the journalist?? I do wonder why you lower yourself to comment on one isolated local by-election anyway. Wait, it couldn't be yet another chance to bash "Red Ed", could it?? Just accept that your man lost and let go of the bitterness, before you turn into John Rentoul!

(I say this as someone who admires much of your work, btw)

12:42 am, October 20, 2010

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

It is me. I like Luke's blog and read it regularly. I take your point about Watford's particularity (but where, exactly, is not particular?) But Watford is a key marginal where Labour needs to take votes from the Libdems on the GE 2010 result to win. It showed no signs of doing this, despite the fees debacle and the Libdems poll slump. That is worthy of comment, not your imagination about my feelings concerning Ed Miliband.
(BTW who are you?)
David A

8:52 am, October 21, 2010

 
Blogger Pete said...

To my mind the Watford Labour candidate got it all wrong by attacking the previous councillor who had flitted off to the States while claiming expenses. Her actions were a disgrace but she wasn't standing for re-election, someone else was the LD candidate. By focusing on the negatives of the previous encumbent and not the positives of Labour policies they fell agonisingly short.

12:33 pm, October 21, 2010

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I am nobody in particular, DA, just an anonymous (in every sense!) LP sort-of activist.

Genuinely pleased I am "imagining" things - would be easier not to if you weren't stuck behind that bloody paywall of course ;-)

As I said, I usually like your stuff when I get the chance to see it - keep up the (mostly) good work!

(PS - I'm right about Watford though!)

10:59 pm, October 21, 2010

 

Post a Comment

<< Home

 
Free Hit Counters
OfficeDepot Discount