Local Council By-Elections September 2022

This month saw 31,345 votes cast in 22 local authority contests. All percentages are rounded to the nearest single decimal place. 12 council seats changed hands and another was occupied after it was left uncontested following the last local elections. For comparison with August's results, see here.

Party	Number of Candidates	Total Vote	%	+/-  Aug	+/- Sept 21	Avge/ Contest	+/- Seats
Conservative	22	10,904	34.8%	+12.1	+5.1	496	-6
Labour	20	8,988	28.7%	+6.7	-4.1	409	+4
LibDem	14	3,922	12.5%	-21.0	-3.4	280	0
Green	14	3,178	10.1%	+6.4	-0.7	227	+3
SNP*	1	525	1.7%	+1.7	+1.7	525	0
PC**	2	803	2.6%	+2.6	+2.6	402	0
Ind***	12	2,709	8.6%	-9.0	+2.2	226	-1
Other****	8	316	1.0%	+0.5	-2.0	40	0

* There was one by-election in Scotland
** There were two by-elections in Wales
*** There was on Independent clash
**** Others this month consisted of Bolton for Change (24), Coventry Citizens (92), Freedom Alliance (15), Monster Raving Loony (30), TUSC (8, 125, 8), and Welsh Independence (8)

What a miserable start to the Autumn for the Conservatives. Not their worst ever results, and they did win consolations off Labour in Bolton and Coventry, but blow for blow - despite the overall vote tally - Labour helds its advantage over them, with the Greens joining in to kick the Tories while they were down. Speaking of which, were it not for one really excellent hold in Harlborough for the Liberal Democrats, the Greens would have overtaken them for the first time in by-election votes.

As far as by-elections are concerned, there has been significant slippage for the Tories since Party Gate became an issue. But following the week's events and that poll, we're probably in a new era of council by-election batterings. During the Coryn interlude, Labour's council performance was less than stellar, so national events and framing does feed its way down to the local level, even if occasionally these micro political systems develop lives of their own. With the Tories, not only has Truss destroyed her polling position the party is going to have a hard time shrugging off the epithet of 'loser'. Just ask the Lib Dems what happens to council by-election performance when that happens. Therefore, when it comes to Tory losses we can be quite confident in saying we ain't seen nothing yet.

1st September
Redditch, Headless Cross & Oakenshaw, Lab gain from Con
Worcestershire, Arrow Valley West, Lab gain from Con

8th September
Arun, Barnham, Grn gain from Con
Cannock Chase, Hednesford North, Lab gain from Con
Hartlepool, Foggy Furze, Lab gain from Ind
Lancaster, Warton, Grn gain from Con
West Sussex, Felpham, Ind gain from Con

15 September
Bolton, Rumworth, Con gain from Lab
Mansfield, Oak Tree, Lab gain from Ind
Mid Sussex, Bolney, Con hold

22 September
Coventry, Sherbourne, Con gain from Lab
Gwynedd, Llanuwchllyn, PC hold
Stoke-on-Trent, Bentilee and Ubberley, Lab hold
Wealden, Maresfield, Grn gain from Con

29 September
Argyll & Bute, Kintyre & The Islands, Ind hold
Harborough, Logan, LDem hold
Newark & Sherwood, Edwinstowe & Clipstone, Lab gain from Con
Oxford, Hinksey Park, Lab hold
Rhondda Cynon Taf, Ynysybwl, PC hold
Rossendale, Facit and Shawforth, Con hold
Rossendale, Helmshore, Con hold
Warrington, Grappenhall, LDem hold x2