COUNCIL BY-ELECTIONS 10.03.22

Just four by-elections this week and not a Labour candidate participating in any of them.  The Lib Dems easily held two seats in Hertfordshire and extended their lead over the Tories, assisted by the absence of Labour candidates this time.  In Rutland the absence of a Lib Dem candidate helped fellow Remainers the Greens take a seat from the Conservatives.  In 2019 the Lib Dems had picked up almost 25 per cent of the vote in Ryhall and Casterton.

Is this the so-called 'progressive alliance' in action or just a coincidence?

Bromyard West, Herefordshire Council

Ind: 315 (55.6%) New

Ind: 152 (26.8%) -33.3%

Con: 100 (17.6%) -22.3%

Ind GAIN from Ind

Hitchin South, Hertfordshire County Council

LDem: 2,401 (71.7%) +27.3%

Con: 690 (20.6%) -22.8%

Grn: 223 (6.7%) -3.8%

CPA: 35 (1.0%) -0.2%

LDem HOLD

Hitchin Highbury, North Hertfordshire District Council

LDem: 1,238 (67.0%) +10.6%

Con: 450 (24.3%) -8.3%

Grn: 134 (7.2%) -2.4%

CPA: 27 (1.5%) +0.1%

LDem HOLD

Ryhall & Casterton, Rutland County Council

Grn: 281 (51.2%) +32.1%

Con: 268 (48.8%) -7.5%

Grn GAIN from Con

Abbreviations

Con = Conservative

LDem = Liberal Democrat

Grn = Green

CPA = Christian Peoples Alliance

Ind = Independents