Local Council By-Elections September 2018

This month saw 31,923 votes cast over 19 local authority (tier one and tier two) contests. All percentages are rounded to the nearest single decimal place. Four council seats changed hands in total. For comparison with August's results, see here.

Party	Number of Candidates	Total Vote	%	+/-  Aug	+/- Sept 18	Average/ Contest	+/- Seats
Conservative	19	10,654	33.4%	+0.3%	+6.0%	561	+1
Labour	18	9,769	30.6%	+0.6%	-6.1%	543	-2
LibDem	15	4,644	14.5%	-10.5%	+4.7%	310	0
UKIP	5	274	0.9%	-0.5%	-1.4%	55	0
Green	14	2,441	7.6%	+5.6%	-0.1%	174	0
SNP	1	1,741	5.5%	+5.5%	-1.0%	1,741	0
PC**	0						0
Ind***	10	1,716	5.3%	-3.7%	-1.2%	172	+2
Other****	5	684	2.1%	+2.1%	-0.9%	137	-1

* There was one by-election in Scotland
** There was one by-election in Wales
*** There was on independent clash this month Ind
**** Others this month consisted of Scottish Libertarian (13), Women's Equality Party (47 and 39), Nonsuch Residents (539), Elvis Bus Pass (46)

What a month, eh? Not really. Barely any movement in terms of percentages. The Tories pick up two at Labour's expense, while dropping one to the indies who, in turn, grab another from some residents' association or another. The interest for me is at the lower and. UKIP's vote has remained at pathetic levels, despite the poll boost they got in July with the unveiling of the Chequers deal. That seems to suggest it's not filtering down to the local level at all, whereas - by way of contrast - LibDem election performance is not feeding up into the national polls. And the Greens are holding up quite nicely when they should really be squeezed by Labour.

Nothing to add, except we'll be here same time next month to see what the crack is.


6th September
Carlisle DC, Denton Holme Lab hold
Cumbria CC, Denton Holme Lab hold
Fife UA, Inverkeithing & Dalgety Bay Lab Con gain from Lab
Tameside MB, Ashton Waterloo Lab hold

13th September
Cambridge BC, Petersfield Lab hold
Charnwood BC, Birstall Wanlip Con hold
Lambeth LB, Coldharbour Lab hold
Maidstone BC, Headcorn Con hold
New Forest DC, Pennington Con hold
Pembrokeshire UA, Pembroke St Mary North Ind gain from Con

20th September
East Devon DC, Ottery St Mary Rural Ind gain from Oth
Epsom and Ewell DC, Nonsuch Oth hold
Luton UA , Limbury Lab hold
Suffolk Coastal DC, Wenhaston & Westleton Con hold
Winchester BC, Upper Meon Valley Con hold
Wyre Forest DC, Bewdley & Rock Con hold

27th September
Lichfield DC, Stowe Con hold
Nottingham UA, Clifton North Con gain from Lab
Salford MBC, Eccles Lab hold