COUNCIL BY-ELECTIONS 14.11.19

There were eight by-elections last night - three in Scotland, two in Wales and one each in Kent, Cumbria and Devon.  It was a mixed night for the main three parties as they all lost and gained.  The Tories lost four seats (two to the Lib Dems and one each to Labour and the SNP), but they gained a seat from the Lib Dems in Devon.  The Tory vote went up in three wards and down in five.

Labour gained a seat for the first time in over three months.  However, their vote fell in every other seat the party contested.  They came last in the Highlands and Neath Port Talbot.  In the Highlands they were beaten by the Lib Dems, Greens and an independent.  In Neath they went from first to last and lost the seat to Plaid Cymru.  In Devon they came from fourth and were beaten by the Brexit Party.  In Kent they finished fifth behind the Women's Equality Party and a local residents' group.

These are not good results for Labour heading into a general election.

Shap, Eden District Council

Lib Dem: 184 (48.5%) +17.3%
Con: 128 (33.8%) -17.4%
Cumbria First: 68 (17.7%) +0.1%

Lib Dem GAIN from Con

Dunfermline Central, Fife Council

SNP: 1,526 (33.2%) +9.1%
Con: 1,142 (24.8%) -6.5%
Lib Dem: 1,050 (22.8%) +13.8%
Lab: 621 (13.5%) -6.3%
Green: 235 (5.1%) +0.9%
Libertarian: 28 (0.6%) New

SNP GAIN from Con

Rosyth, Fife Council

SNP: 1,347 (42.8%) +16.5%
Con: 768 (24.4%) -2.3%
Lab: 480 (15.2%) -4.3%
Lib Dem: 249 (7.9%) -0.9%
Ind: 157 (5.0%) +2.9%
Green: 132 (4.2%) +0.7%
Libertarian: 16 (0.5%) New

SNP HOLD

Inverness Central, The Highland Council

SNP: 1,115 (45.2%) +12.3%
Con: 360 (15.3%) +2.9%
Ind: 338 (12.3%) New
Lib Dem: 325 (10.5%) +6.0%
Green: 238 (9.8%) +3.7%
Lab: 154 (6.9%) -10.0%

SNP HOLD

Rhos, Neath Port Talbot Council

Plaid: 359 (53.9%) +23.1%
Con: 162 (24.3% +0.8%
Lab: 145 (21.8%) -23.9%

Plaid GAIN from Lab

St Mary, Powys County Council

Lab: 344 (37.4%) +16.3%

Con: 244 (26.5%) -14.9%

Plaid: 130 (14.1%) New

Lib Dem: 102 (11.1%) -16.3%

Ind: 101 (11.0%) New

Lab GAIN from Con

Goodrington with Roselands, Torbay Council

Con: 892 (49.3%) +17.6%
Lib Dem: 641 (35.5%) N/c
Brexit: 168 (9.3%) New
Lab: 72 (4.0%) -3.2%
Green: 35 (1.9%) -8.9%

Con GAIN from Lib Dem

Culverden, Tunbridge Wells Borough Council

Lib Dem: 888 (46.7%) +33.5%
Con: 474 (24.9%) -19.1%
Women's: 193 (10.2%) New
Residents: 180 (9.5%) New
Lab: 99 (5.2%) -14.3%
Green: 67 (3.5%) -7.5%

Lib Dem GAIN from Con