Local Council By-Elections January 2023

This month saw 12,317 votes cast in eight local authority contests. All percentages are rounded to the nearest single decimal place. Eight council seats changed hands. For comparison with December's results, see here.

Party	Number of Candidates	Total Vote	%	+/-  Dec	+/- Jan 22	Avge/ Contest	+/- Seats
Conservative	8	3,087	25.1%	-6.1	-13.5	386	-4
Labour	9	5,334	43.3%	+14.8	+12.3	593	+6
Lib Dem	5	772	6.3%	-4.7	-3.2	154	0
Green	4	860	7.0%	+0.0	+0.0	215	+1
SNP*	0						0
PC**	0						0
Ind***	6	1,620	13.2%	+2.0	+8.9	270	-1
Other****	4	585	4.7%	+4.2	+4.7	146	-2

* There were no byelections in Scotland
** There were no by-elections in Wales
*** The were no Independent clashes
**** Others this month consisted of Residents for Uttleford (238), TUSC (15, 18), Yorkshire Party (314)

January is as closest to silly season local council by-elections get. The politics doesn't stop but local authorities wind down, election campaigners prefer to be inside than outside, and so tradition is comparatively few contests happen in this month. Because of this results can be skewed and the relation between actual votes and opinion poll reporting appear wide of the mark. The first tally of 2023 breaks this tradition. There were only a few contests (eight), but the gap between the two main parties and the shares recorded for the smaller parties reflecting national polling. Undeniably, January was another terrible month for the Tories, having lost five seats and picking one up in consolation. Labour on the other hand pretty much conquered all it surveyed, continuing its run of excellent results by picking up seats here, there, and everywhere.

It might be a fluke of the month, but this is the first month ever that the Greens have managed to outpoll the Liberal Democrats. Even in the dog days of the coalition years this did not happen. Obviously too early to say whether they're at the beginning of replacing the Lib Dems as England's third party. Only future by-election can start answering that question.

Looking forward to February, there are 14 contests to look forward to, half of which are Tory held. Might another wipe out be on the cards?

5 January:
Cannock Chase, Etching Hill & The Heath, Lab gain from Con
Uttlesford, Great Dunmow South & Barnston, Con gain from Oth (Residents for Uttlesford)

12 January:
Plymouth, Moor View, Lab gain from Con
Plymouth, Plympton Chaddlewood, Grn gain from Con

19 January:
Staffordshire, Biddulph North, Lab gain from Con
Staffordshire Moorlands, Biddulph West, Lab gain from Con, Lab gain from Ind
Stevenage, Bedwell, Lab hold

26 January:
Rotherham, Keppel, Lab gain from Oth (Rotherham Democratic Party)