The Liberal Democrat ambition is to take control of British politics – and after a good 2016 successfully fighting back against the Tory Leavers they have got off to a cracking start in the first fortnight of 2017.
With three Lib Dem gains and a Lib Dem hold the performance of the last 2 weeks could scarcely have been bettered – but it was!
The gain from the Tories in Gade Valley, between Hemel Hempstead and Watford delivered overall control of Three Rivers District Council to the Liberal Democrats. Congratulation to successful candidate Alex Michaels, to Lib Dem Council Leader, Sara Bedford and to Herts County Council Lib Dem Group Leader, Stephen Giles-Medhurst who played a key role in the campaign.
Meanwhile the result in Sunderland in the North East is also very significant. The Lib Dems make no secret of their preference to remain a full member of the European family – yet they achieved a better than tenfold improvement in their vote share. Labour collapsed and the the Tories, UKIP and the Greens couldn’t even get 30% added together!
The details are:
Three Rivers DC, Gade Valley – 12th January 2017
LD Alex Michaels 626 [60.9%;-0.8%]
Con 196 [19.1%;-6.3%]
Lab 119 [11.6%;-1.4%]
UKIP 69 [6.7%; +6.7]
Green 18 [1.7%; +1.7%]
Majority 430
Turnout 20.75%
Lib Dem Gain from Conservative
Percentage change since 2016
Alsager TC, East- 12th January 2017
LD Carrie Pletscher 575 [69.9%]
Labour 248 [30.1]
Majority 327
Turnout 22%
Lib Dem Hold
Sunderland MB, Sandhill – 12th January 2017
LD Stephen O’Brien 824 [45.0%; +41.5%]
Labour 458 [25.0%; -29.9%]
UKIP 343 [18.7%; -7.2%]
Conservative 184 [10.0%; -5.7%]
Green 23 [1.3%; +1.3%]
Majority 366
Lib Dem Gain from Labour
Percentage change since 2016
Ilkley Parish Council, Ilkley South – 5th January 2017
LD Mark Stidworthy 429 [71.5%]
Labour 171 [28.5%]
Majority 258
Lib Dem Gain from Greens
Turnout 27.67%