Local Council By-Elections September 2017

This month saw 51,321 votes cast over 32 local authority (tier one and tier two) contests. All percentages are rounded to the nearest single decimal place. 15(!) council seats changed hands in total. For comparison with August's results, see here.

Party	Number of Candidates	Total Vote	%	+/-  Aug	+/- Sept 16	Average/ Contest	+/- Seats
Conservative	32	14,074	27.4%	-11.1%	-2.3%	440	-7
Labour	30	18,824	36.7%	-4.2%	+9.8%	627	+3
LibDem	25	5,041	9.8%	-3.3%	-12.0%	202	+1
UKIP	13	1,156	2.3%	-0.7%	-9.0%	89	-1
Green	18	3,965	7.7%	+4.8%	+5.0%	220	+2
SNP	3	3,345	6.5%	+6.5%	+3.8%	1,115	0
PC**	0						0
Ind***	10	3,352	6.5%	+4.6%	+3.0%	335	+2
Other****	9	1,564	3.0%	+2.8%	+2.3%	174	0

* There were three by-elections in Scotland this month
** No by-elections in Wales
*** There were two Independent clashes
**** Others this month consisted of A Better Britain - Unionist Party (858), Scottish Libertarian (12 and 12), Chase Independent Party (65 and 42), BNP (75), Demos (25), Yorkshire Party (19), Save Our Stretton (455),

And so it goes. While not quite as pronounced this month thanks to decent showings from the SNP, the Greens and the Independents, polarisation is the name of the game as the two main parties remain light years ahead of the rest of the pack - even though the Conservatives suffered a big monthly fall. Just look at the year-on-year figure. Last autumn we were talking about the LibDem surge and now, well, their vote has collapsed back to their "traditional" historic range. And as for UKIP, not the best story to greet their anonymous new leader with.

Yet what does annoy is despite Labour being the largest political party in Europe and the Tories languishing with a reputed hundred thousand members, at least where by-elections are concerned the blues persistently out-organise the reds. They may scrape the barrel for their candidates but it matters they are on the ballot paper more than we are.

For the electoral supergeeks, please find below the outcome of each by-election contest by date.

7th Sept
Barbergh Sudbury South: Lab gain from Con
Cannock Chase Hednesford Green Heath: Lab gain from Con
Cannock Chase Hednesford South: Grn gain from Con
Colchester Shrub End: Con gain from Lib
Croydon South Norwood: Lab hold
East Cambs Ely South: Lib gain from Con
Glasgow City UA Cardonald:  Lab hold
Herefordshire UA Golden Valley South: Ind gain from Con
Lancaster BC Skerton West: Lab hold
Lewes DC Ouse Valley & Ringmer: Grn gain from Con
North Lanarkshire UA Fortissat: Lab gain from Con
Peterborough UA Eye, Thorney & Newborough: Con hold
Staffordshire CC Hednesford & Rawnsley: Con hold
Suffolk CC St Johns: Lab hold

14th Sept
Mid Devon Council, Westexe: Con gain from UKIP
West Dorset DC, Lyme Regis & Charmouth: Ind gain from Con
Trafford MB, Bucklow St Martins: Lab hold

21st Sept
Holmebrook: Lib gain from Lab
Oadby Uplands: Lib gain from Lab
Waveney, Oulton Broad: Con hold

28th Sept
Barnsley MB, Kingstone: Lab hold
Breckland DC, Thetford Priory: Lab gain from Con
Durham UA, Trimdon and Thornley: Lab hold
East Staffordshire BC, Stretton: Con hold
Harlow DC Toddbrook: Lab hold
Harrogate BC Washburn: Con hold
Lancaster City Council, Halton with Aughton: Lab gain from Ind
Northampton BC Eastfield: Lab hold
Northampton BC Nene Valley: Con hold
St Edmundsbury BC Chedburgh: Con hold
St Edmundsbury BC Hundon: Con hold
The Highland UA, Tain and Easter Ross: Ind gain from Lib