Local Council By-Elections September 2021

This month saw 39,474 votes cast over 27 local authority contests. All percentages are rounded to the nearest single decimal place. Overall, 11 council seats changed hands. For comparison with August's results, see here.

Party	Number of Candidates	Total Vote	%	+/-  Aug	+/- Feb 20	Avge/ Contest	+/- Seats
Conservative	28	11,726	29.7%	-6.4	-8.8	419	-3
Labour	26	12,938	32.8%	+19.5	+2.8	498	0
LibDem	23	6,262	15.9%	-4.7	+0.4	274	0
Green	20	4,792	10.9%	+5.2	+8.4	240	+3
SNP*	0						0
PC**	0						0
Ind***	11	2,529	6.4%	+3.1	-6.2	230	0
Other****	5	1,197	3.0%	-2.0	+2.9	239	0

* There were no by-elections in Scotland
** There were no by-elections in Wales
*** There were two Independent clashes
**** Others this month consisted of North East Party (89), Putting Cumbria First (28), Residents Association of Cuddington (585), Residents for Wilmslow (447), TUSC (48)

They don't look like it, but these are a historic set of by-election results. This is the first time Labour has topped the council by-election popular vote since May 2019, and it came out with one gain and one loss - the latter to a popular independent elected at Labour in the last set of locals. So, in all, not to be sniffed at. Especially when, as readers know, older people are even more disproportionately likely to turn out for these sorts of elections. One cannot really generalise, but if Labour do manage to continue winning the popular vote and seats pretty consistently in contests where the Tories have a significant electoral advantage, the tectonics might be a-shifting.

Also of interest is the Green result. Three gains all from the Tories underlined the argument long made here that they're richer pickings than the Labour Party. Also at just shy of 11%, this is the third best Green vote recorded in these tallies. As some of the pollsters are reporting higher numbers for the party, often level pegging with and occasionally overtaking the Liberal Democrats, their surveys are consistent with the good showings the Greens are having at local level.

October has 22 by-elections in store for us. Hopefully, Labour's recovery will continue - at the Tories' expense.

2nd September
Calderdale, Park, Lab hold
Calderdale, Ryburn, Con gain from Ind
Cheshire East, Wilmslow, Oth hold

9th September
Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Castle, LDem hold
North East Derbyshire, Barlow and Holmesfield, Con hold
North East Derbyshire, Killamarsh East, Lab gain from Con
North Tyneside, Camperdown, Lab hold
South Derbyshire, Seales, Ind gain from Con
South Tyneside, Cleadon and East Boldon, Con hold

16th September
Ealing, Hobbayne, Lab hold
Malvern Hills, Tenbury, Ind gain from Con
Middlesbrough, Ladgate, Ind gain from Lab
Sheffield, Firth Park, Lab hold

23rd September
Charnwood, Shepsed West, Con hold
East Cambridgeshire, Soham North, Con gain from LDem
East Devon, Exe Valley, LDem hold
Epsom and Ewell, Cuddington, Oth hold
Hammersmith and Fulham, Wormholt and White City, Lab hold
South Lakeland, Kendal North, LDem hold

28th September
Broadland, Brundall, Grn gain from Con x2
Broadland, Old Catton and Sprowston West, Con hold

30th September
East Hampshire, Horndean Downs, Grn gain from Con
East Staffordshire, Tutbury and Outwoods, Con hold
Eden, Penrith West, LDem gain from Con
Sunderland, Hetton, Lab hold
Swale, Priory, LDem hold
West Suffolk, The Rows, Con gain from Ind