Local Council By-Elections July 2023

This month saw 38,673 votes cast in 16 local authority contests. All percentages are rounded to the nearest single decimal place. Seven council seats changed hands. For comparison with June's results, see here.

Party	Number of Candidates	Total Vote	%	+/- Jun	+/- Jun 22	Avge/ Contest	+/- Seats
Conservative	15	11,054	28.6%	-3.1	+3.3	737	-1
Labour	13	11,964	30.9%	-0.3	+1.0	920	-1
Lib Dem	13	5,165	13.4%	-8.4	-10.9	397	0
Green	10	5,282	13.7%	+6.4	+6.9	528	+2
SNP*	1	778	2.0%	+0.7	+1.8	778	-1
PC**	1	290	0.7%	+0.7	-0.7	290	0
Ind***	16	3,367	8.7%	+8.1	-2.6	210	+1
Other****	10	773	2.0%	-4.0	+1.2	77	0

* There was one by-election in Scotland
** There was one by-election in Wales
*** There was one set of Independent clashes this month
**** Others contesting seats in July were Heritage Party (55), Reform (278, 23, 58, 61, 174), Scottish Family Party (42), TUSC (52, 12), Yorkshire Party (28)

This is a very significant month for the Greens. Firstly, they "won" coming out of July's by-elections with the largest net gain. Which, if memory serves, is the first time they have done so. Second, I believe the party has scored its highest vote share since I've been tracking council by-elections (over 10 years now, where has the time gone?). And lastly, this is the first set of "proper" by-elections where the Green popular vote has overtaken the Liberal Democrats ever. If you don't like the Greens, that's tough because there are going to be an awful lot more votes like this over the coming years. Especially after Labour takes office.

As for the rest, there was nothing to write home about. No spectacular Liberal Democrat gains. The Tories won two new seats but lost three, and Labour netted a new seat while losing two, one of which was exchanged with the Conservatives. Apart from that, there's no real news except for the historic Green performance.

4 July
Cambridge, King's Hedges, Con gain from Lab

6 July
Kent, Maidstone Central, LDem hold
South Lanarkshire, East Kilbride West, Lab gain from SNP

13 July
City of London, Castle Baynard, Ind hold
Newham, Boleyn, Ind gain from Lab
Newham, Wall End, Lab hold
Norfolk, West Depwade, Grn gain from Con
Rotherham, Dinnington, Con hold

20 July
Ceredigion, Llanfarian, LDem hold
Swindon, St Margaret & South Marston, Con gain from Lab
Worcester, Nunnery, Lab hold

27 July
Buckinghamshire, Denham, Con hold
East Sussex, Heathfield & Mayfield, Grn gain from Con
Plymouth, Plymstock Dunstone, Lab gain from Con
Plymouth, St Peter & The Waterfront, Lab hold
Warrington, Paulton North, Lab hold