My analysis of yesterday's local by-election results (from 17/09/2015) and other thoughts

Readers, the results of local by-elections from yesterday were as follows:

Haringey LBC, Noel Park: Labour 1005 (61.3%, +7.5%), Liberal Democrats 247 (15.1%, +1.1%), Conservative 178 (10.9%, +4.8%), Green 124 (7.6%, -6.7%), UKIP 48 (2.9%, -3.3%), TUSC 38 (2.3%)

Haringey LBC, Woodside: Lab 1271 (61.7%, +4.6%), Lib Dem 435 (21.0%, +9.2%), Con 141 (6.8%,-0.9%), Green 122 (5.9%, -5.6%), UKIP 95 (4.6%, -2.7%)

South Ayrshire UA, Ayr East: Conservative & Unionist 1,527 (38.5%, +5.5%), SNP 1507 (38.0%, +6.6%), Labour 642 (16.2%, -7.2%), Independent B 218 (5.5%), Scottish Green Party 76 (1.9%). SNP hold on 4th count.

South Cambridgeshire DC, Bourn: Conservative 579 (46.5%, -9.9%), Lib Dem 247 (19.8%), Labour 235 (18.9%, -10.4%), UKIP 121 (9.7%), Green 64 (5.1%, -9.3%).

These local by-elections are the first since Jeremy Corbyn became leader of the Labour Party, and initial findings unfortunately showed Green swings towards Labour (at least in metropolitan wards). Meanwhile, our performance in South Cambridgeshire was affected by the fact the Lib Dems and UKIP stood in this solidly Conservative ward when neither stood in South Cambridgeshire's last local elections earlier this year. I do believe that the Conservative-SNP contest in Ayr, one of the most Conservative towns in Scotland, was the most interesting, with heavy competition for transfers between the unionists and nationalists.

I also believe it is time to ask all Greens to stay strong, and remember that we still have a bright future in Britain, despite the fact that not only is Jeremy Labour leader but also that John McDonnell is Shadow Chancellor, and that with our campaigns for, and commitments to, environmentalism, social justice, fairer distribution, grassroots democracy, cooperative politics, and sustainability, we can and will prevail.

Alan.

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