Five Lib Dem by-election gains, including in Jacob Rees-Mogg’s constituency
Seven principal authority council by-elections this week and it's very much a story in two parts for the Liberal Democrats. On candidates, there were five Liberal Democrats for the seven seats - which may sound okay, but was down two on the last time these seats were contested. (A reminder about why standing more candidates in council elections matters here.)
But the results, ah…
Well done Team Rotherham, great work @DrAdamCart in leading the campaign to elect @DrewTarmey as the new @LibDems Cllr for Anston & Woodsetts Ward pic.twitter.com/UMLDj96aLc
- Cllr Shaffaq Mohammed(@shaffaqmohd) December 10, 2021
Many congratulations to Drew Tarmey and the team. Drew just missed out on election here in May and has put that right with style.
Rotherham is also an important place for the Liberal Democrat recovery. A big part of the recovery, of course, is the Blue Wall and our prospects there at the next general election. But we also need to be a party of more than just the Blue Wall and the next general election. Places like Rotherham, Wakefield, Sunderland and Barnsley where we've started to make electoral progress in council elections in northern England are important parts of ensuring we also have a broad-based recovery.
More congratulations are also due:
Congratulations to Paul Boxall and the team.
Elsewhere:
Thank you to Mark Lambert for standing.
No Lib Dem here, even though there was one last time around.
Thank you to Sam Newman-McKie for standing and moving up into a promising second.
Thank you to Raja Zahidi for standing.
Finally:
These by-election results round-ups cover principal authority by-elections. See my post The danger in celebrating parish and town council wins for your own party for the reasons to avoid straying too often into covering town, parish or community council by-elections. But this week, these other by-elections did come to notice:
There was a great trio of wins in town/parish council elections, including securing the overall majority on another council.
That win means the Lib Dems now control the town council where Jacob Rees-Mogg's constituency office is located.