Although the Liberal Democrats lost one seat to Labour they gained seats from us in St Austell & Newquay, Stratford-on-Avon and High Peak. I don't know the local circumstances in these setbacks but we always have to remember that such is our current dominance in local government across England, in particular, that further gains are always going to be much tougher to secure now.
- St Austell Bay, Cornwall (Truro & St Austell moving to St Austell
& Newquay) a LD gain from CON. Con vote was 47% -12, Lab 5% -2, LD
48% +14.
- Blackbrook, High Peak (High Peak) a LD gain from Con. Con vote was 39% -22, Lab 4% from nowhere, LD 57% +18
- Stratford Alveston, Stratford-on-Avon (Stratford-on-Avon) a LD gain
from Con. Con vote was 44% -5, Lab 6% from nowhere, LD 47% +8, Green 3%
-2, UKIP did not stand losing 8%.
- Halewood South, Knowsley (Knowsley South moving to Garston & Halewood) a Lab gain from LD. Con vote was 2% -3, Lab 46% +5, LD 37% -4, Ind 2% from nowhere, BNP 9% from nowhere, The United Socialist Party 4% -9.
- Moreton West and Saughall Massie, Wirral (Wallasey) a Con hold. Con vote was 70% +10, Lab 19% -5, LD 4% -4, Ind 4% from nowhere, Green 3% -1, UKIP did not stand losing 3%.
- Clifton, Fylde (Fylde) a Con hold. Con vote was 35% -9, Lab 7% -7, LD 22% from nowhere, Ind 34% -8, Green 1% from nowhere.
- Bushey Heath, Hertsmere (Hertsmere) a Con hold. Con vote was 75% +8, Lab 10% -12, LD 16% +5.
- Northop, Flintshire (Delyn) an Ind hold. Con vote was 23% from nowhere, Lab 16% -15, LD 15% from nowhere, Ind 28% -41, 2nd Ind 18% from nowhere.
There'll be better days for us.
Tim Montgomerie