My analysis of by-election results from 10/12/15 and other thoughts

Readers, the results from by-elections of 10 December 2015 that featured Green Party candidates were as follows:

Bournemouth UA, Kinson South: Conservative 520/509 (33.9%), Labour 471/371 (27.7%), UKIP 313 (20.6%), Bournemouth Independent Alliance 168/116 (9.4%), Liberal Democrat 61/60 (4.0%), Green 63/54 (3.9%), Patria 8 (0.5%).

Harborough DC, Market Harborough Logan: Lib Dem 402 (45.2%, +9.0%), Con 303 (34.0%, -1.3%), Lab 82 (9.2%, -5.9%), Green 56 (6.3%, -7.1%), UKIP 47 (5.3%).

The Kinson South by-election was a rather interesting one, given that it was not only a double by-election but caused by administrative error which affected the result. It proved to be quite a close contest, but the Labour councillor who had lost her seat in May 2015 in that ward did not quite succeed in returning to Bournemouth council. Meanwhile, we at least improved on our 2015 result, and we managed to beat UKIP over in Market Harborough despite being squeezed by the Liberal Democrats there who almost lost their seat there in the last elections of Harborough council. In Blantyre (detailed results not covered due to no Green candidate present) in South Lanarkshire, Labour surprised many by holding that seat against the SNP's advances, the first time they have done so in a local by-election in over a year.

In other Scottish news, the long-running election petition against Alistair Carmichael (MP for Orkney & Shetland and Scotland's only remaining Lib Dem MP) finally concluded two days ago, with the case going in favour of Alistair despite the petitioners proving two of their three points regarding those false statements he made against SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon. Although this election petition did not succeed, I believe the case may still make prominent politicians of all parties be more careful about their media statements in future, especially during major election campaigns.

Alan.




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