The last 2008 council by-elections produced a night of high drama with mainstream parties holding off the BNP by knife-edge majorities in two contests and the outcome in a third being decided by drawing lots. The only change was a gain by Liberal Democrats at Newchurch, Isle of Wight where the previous councillor, elected as a Tory, had become independent.
The BNP, which called the poll at Kells and Sandwith, Cumbria County, finished just 16 votes behind Labour. The margin was 15 at Ibstock and Heather, North West Leicestershire District where Tories squeaked home.
This was a disappointing result for Labour which had defended another seat in the ward in a by-election last January in which Conservatives had trailed the BNP. The ward is in the marginal Leicestershire North West constituency.
At Clarence and Uphill, North Somerset Council, Tory Ami Patel and independent John Ley-Morgan both finished on 477 votes with Mr Patel winning on a drawing of lots.
Analysis of 11 comparable results this month suggests a projected 8.6% Tory nationwide lead over Labour. A calculation based on wards fought both times by all three major parties gives a line-up of: C 38.5%, Lab 33.0%, Lib Dem 21.6%. Tories were hard hit by independent interventions at North Somerset but clearly benefited from the disappearance of an independent challenge at Braintree, Essex earlier this month.
RESULTS:
Cumbria County - Kells and Sandwith: Lab 434, BNP 418, C 190. (May 2007 - Lab 1367, Ind 357, C 355). Lab hold. Swing 12.5% Lab to C.
East Northamptonshire District - Thrapston Lakes: C 475, Lab 168, Ukip 111. (May 2007 - Two seats C 558, 458, Ukip 380). C hold. Swing 16.9% Ukip to C.
Isle of Wight Council - Newchurch: Lib Dem 389, C 377, Ind 213. (May 2005 - C 701, Ind 620, Ind 187). Lib Dem gain from Ind.
North Somerset Council - Clarence and Uphill: C 478, Ind 477, Lib Dem 421, Ind 228, Lab 132. (May 2007 - Three seats C 1800, 1777, 1708, Lib Dem 836, 672, 670, Lab 310, 295, 280). C hold. Swing 17% C to Lib Dem.
North West Leicestershire District - Ibstock and Heather: C 660, BNP 645, Lab 614, Lib Dem 174. (May 2007 - Three seats C 737, 731, Lab 707, 620, C 599, Lab 559, Ukip 411, Lib Dem 225, 222; January 10 2008 by-election: Lab 699, BNP 637, C 515, Lib Dem 411). C hold. Swing 0.4% C to Lab.
Rhondda, Cynon, Taff County Borough - Glyncoch: Lab 217, Ind 143, Plaid Cymru 47, Communist 12, C 11. (May 2008 - Lab 413, Plaid Cymru 192). Lab hold. Swing 1.5% Plaid Cymru to Lab.
24dash
Showing posts with label Kells and Sandwith. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Kells and Sandwith. Show all posts
December 19, 2008
November 12, 2008
BNP force by-election in Kells
The British National Party (BNP) is to stand in Kells ward, Whitehaven, after demanding a by-election is run to fill the seat left by the late Joe McAllister. The by-election has been called for the vacant position of county councillor for the ward of Kells and Sandwith. It has been called for Thursday, December 18, and nominations close at noon on Friday, November 21.
The ballot follows the death of Coun McAllister in July. He had been Labour councillor for Kells and Sandwith since 1995.
At that vote, Labour polled 1,367 votes and independent journalist Gordon Brown pipped the Conservatives at the polls with 357 votes compared with 355 polled for Leah Higgins.
Copeland Labour Party vice chairman Alan Alexander said Labour would be vigorously defending the seat. He said: “The BNP are a legally constituted party who often pretend to campaign on local issues whenever they put up candidates. But whenever you discuss issues with them, their true racist views always come to the fore. Having just marked Remembrance Day when we remember those who died fighting fascism, it is an insult to us all that people with the BNP views should be standing politically in our community.”
David Gray, speaking on behalf of the Conservatives, said they “expected to contest the Kells seat”.
Clive Jefferson, Copeland organiser for the BNP, said his party would contest the seat and had started campaigning. He said: “The powers that be didn’t want to have this election, they fully intended to leave the seat vacant until next June, when all the county seats are up for re-election. Well it is not in my nature to allow the complacent establishment – the old boys’ club – to ‘agree’ not to have an election, because it doesn’t suit their winter holiday calendar.”
The Whitehaven News
The ballot follows the death of Coun McAllister in July. He had been Labour councillor for Kells and Sandwith since 1995.
At that vote, Labour polled 1,367 votes and independent journalist Gordon Brown pipped the Conservatives at the polls with 357 votes compared with 355 polled for Leah Higgins.
Copeland Labour Party vice chairman Alan Alexander said Labour would be vigorously defending the seat. He said: “The BNP are a legally constituted party who often pretend to campaign on local issues whenever they put up candidates. But whenever you discuss issues with them, their true racist views always come to the fore. Having just marked Remembrance Day when we remember those who died fighting fascism, it is an insult to us all that people with the BNP views should be standing politically in our community.”
David Gray, speaking on behalf of the Conservatives, said they “expected to contest the Kells seat”.
Clive Jefferson, Copeland organiser for the BNP, said his party would contest the seat and had started campaigning. He said: “The powers that be didn’t want to have this election, they fully intended to leave the seat vacant until next June, when all the county seats are up for re-election. Well it is not in my nature to allow the complacent establishment – the old boys’ club – to ‘agree’ not to have an election, because it doesn’t suit their winter holiday calendar.”
The Whitehaven News
Labels:
BNP,
by-election,
Kells and Sandwith,
Whitehaven
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