Local Council By-Elections March 2019

This month saw 20,790 votes cast over 12 local authority (tier one and tier two) contests. All percentages are rounded to the nearest single decimal place. No council seats changed hands. For comparison with February's results, see here.

Party	Number of Candidates	Total Vote	%	+/-  Feb	+/- Mar 18	Average/ Contest	+/- Seats
Conservative	11	5,024	24.2%	+0.2%	-10.2%	457	0
Labour	12	6,614	31.8%	+1.7%	-3.4%	551	0
LibDem	10	3,626	17.4%	-8.8%	+7.3%	363	0
UKIP	6	490	2.4%	+1.2%	+1.2%	82	0
Green	6	1,634	7.9%	+5.3%	+5.1%	272	+1
SNP	1	865	4.2%	+4.2%	-2.5%	865	0
PC**	0						0
Ind***	7	1,777	8.5%	+4.2%	+2.3%	254	-1
Other****	7	760	3.7%	-4.8%	+0.3%	109	0

* There was one by-election in Scotland
** There were no by-elections in Wales
*** There was one independent clash
**** Others consisted of North East Party (74), For Britain (20 and 89), Socialist Alternative (368), Integrity Southampton (178), SDP (14), Christian People's Alliance (17)

Not the most terribly exciting of months in local council by-election land. Or is it? Having four seats change hands is nothing out of the ordinary, though it has to be said the Aylesbury Vale result for the Greens is stunning. To effectively come from nowhere and capture a Tory seat ... Well, it's not something we haven't seen before. I am convinced there is a section of the Tory vote who would have their heads turned by the Greens given the opportunity to support them. Not because of their programme, which in a number of ways is closer to Labour's than anyone else's, but because of environmental concerns. Remember, Conservatives are interested in conservation as well.

Also for those into their leftist trainspotting, the Southampton Coxford result is of interest. The retiring councillor there was a member of TUSC, though always "preferred" to run as an independent rather than under the coalition's label. I wonder why that is? Well, now we know. Standing as Socialist Alternative the Socialist Party, for it is really they, did well by the usual electoral standards of TUSC but came nowehere near to taking the seat.

Lastly, it's worth noting that despite Brexitgeddon ramming the news there's little in the way of life when it comes to the UKIP vote. Long may this continue.


7th March
Aylesbury Vale DC, Haddenham and Stone, Grn gain from Con

14th March
Croydon LBC, Norbury & Pollards Hill, Lab hold
Durham UA, Wingate, Lab hold
Southampton UA, Coxford, Lab gain from Ind

21st March
Basildon BC, Vange, Lab hold
Durham UA, Esh and Witton Gilbert, LDem hold
Kensington and Chelsea LBC, Dalgarno, Lab hold
Newcastle-under-Lyme BC, Holditch and Chesterton, Ind gain from Lab
Southend-on-Sea UA, Milton, Lab hold
Thurrock UA, Alveley and Uplands, Con gain from Ind

28th March
Clackmannanshire UA, Clackmannan Central, SNP hold
Sutton LB, Wallington North, LDem hold