Eight seats were up for grabs this week up and down the mainland. In Scotland there was a free-for-all on the west coast following the death of an independent. Another independent surged to victory, overtaking the SNP and defeating them all the way to the final stage. Labour were eliminated on first preference votes, finishing a humiliating last place with just 55 votes. Scotland uses a different voting method to the rest of the UK - the single transferable vote in which voters rank the candidates in order of preference.
In England and Wales there were holds for the Lib Dems (three seats), the Conservatives (two), Labour and Plaid (one each). The only change of hands was a Labour gain from the Conservatives in Nottinghamshire where a head-to-head battle dramatically turned on its head in favour of red.
There were no absentees in this week's by-elections. If the opinion polls are to be believed then there will be no need for a 'progressive alliance' at the next election. Labour are a shoo-in, apparently. However, while the Tory vote was down in seven of eight of this week's by-elections, Labour's vote was down in five. The electorate are clearly still not sure about the wooden man of no policies.
Kintyre & the Islands, Argyll and Bute Council
(First preference votes)
Ind: 591 (32.7%) +16.3%
SNP: 525 (29.1%) -0.8%
LDem: 265 (14.7%) -1.7%
Con: 194 (10.7%) +1.2%
Grn: 176 (9.7%) New
Lab: 55 (3.0%) -1.2%
Ind GAIN from Ind (elected at stage 6)
Logan, Harborough District Council
LDem: 582 (45.7%) +2.7%
Con: 382 (30.0%) -2.6%
Lab: 250 (19.6%) +8.6%
Ind: 60 (4.7%) -8.7%
LDem HOLD
Edwinstowe & Clipstone, Newark and Sherwood District Council
Lab: 804 (59.8%) +10.0%
Con: 540 (40.2%) -10.0%
Lab GAIN from Con
Hinksey Park, Oxford City Council
Lab: 801 (51.3%) -4.7%
Grn: 305 (19.5%) +5.9%
Ind: 270 (17.3%) +3.2%
LDem: 118 (7.6%) -3.2%
Con: 60 (3.8%) -1.8%
TUSC: 8 (0.5%) New
Lab HOLD
Ynysybwl, Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council
Plaid: 435 (59.0%) +3.5%
Lab: 246 (33.4%) -1.2%
Con: 34 (4.6%) New
Gwlad: 14 (1.9%) -8.0%
Grn: 8 (1.1%) New
Plaid HOLD
Facit & Shawforth, Rossendale Borough Council
Con: 337 (43.5%) -16.7%
Ind: 214 (27.6%) +27.6%
Lab: 203 (26.2%) -13.5%
Grn: 20 (2.6%) New
Con HOLD
Helmshore, Rossendale Borough Council
Con: 736 (50.6%) -11.3%
Lab: 540 (37.1%) -1.0%
Grn: 74 (5.1%) New
LDem: 62 (4.3%) New
Ind: 42 (2.9%) New
Con HOLD
Grappenhall, Warrington Borough Council
(two seats)
LDem: 1,073
LDem: 1,047
Con: 524
Con: 462
Lab: 193
Grn: 135
LDem HOLD x 2
Abbreviations
SNP = Scottish National Party
LDem = Liberal Democrats
Con = Conservative
Grn = Green
Lab = Labour
TUSC = Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition
Plaid = Plaid Cymru
Gwlad = Gwlad
Ind = Independents
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