Local Council By-Elections November 2014

Party	Number of Candidates	Total Vote	%	+/- Oct	Average/ contest	+/- Oct	+/- Seats
Conservative	23	14,393	31.3%	+4.3%	626	+176	+1
Labour	21	10,689	23.3%	+0.1%	509	+69	-4
LibDem	14	4,101	8.9%	-3.6%	293	-51	0
UKIP	17	8,737	19.0%	+0.0%	514	+141	+2
SNP*	2	2,419	5.3%	-0.4%	1,210	-345	+1
Plaid Cymru**	1	104	0.2%	+0.2%	104	+104	0
Green	13	1,534	3.3%	+0.8%	118	+22	0
BNP	0	0					0
TUSC	6	155	0.3%	+0.3%	26	-9	0
Independent***	13	3,775	8.2%	+0.1%	290	-29	+1
Other****	1	29	0.1%	-1.8%	29	-175	-1

* There were two by-elections in Scotland.
** There was one by-election in Wales.
*** There were four independent clashes with three independents vying for one seat and four for another.
**** The only 'other' this month was Community Action (29 votes)

Overall, 45,936 votes were cast over 23 local authority (tier one and tier two) contests. All percentages are rounded to the nearest single decimal place. In sum eight council seats changed hands. For comparison see October's results here.

When compiling these results it did look hairy for a wee while. Until the results of the last three contests came in - crushing Labour wins in Oxford - UKIP were in a healthy second place. It's bad enough that for the first time since tracking local by-elections, the purples have overtaken the reds on vote averages. Can we lay this at the door of an over-preponderance of safe Tory seats? No. Eight of the contests took place in Conservative-held seats, nine in Labour. The seats lost by Labour were held by slim majorities. Comparing Tory and Labour strongholds, like for like Conservatives pile up the votes on higher turnouts while Labour doesn't. An acceptable argument in isolation but throughout this year, just like the polls, there has been a narrowing of the results. Still much to be done, then.