My analysis of by-election results from 25/2/16 and 3/316 and other thoughts

The results of local by-elections that featured Green Party candidates, which occurred on 25 February and 3 March respectively, were as follows:

(25/02/16):

Dudley MBC, Kingswinford North and Wall Heath: Conservative 1456 (53.8%, +4.0%), Labour 934 (34.5%, +8.4%), UKIP 262 (9.7%, -11.4%), Green 52 (1.9%, -0.7%).

(03/03/16):

Blackpool UA, Bloomfield: Labour 450 (57.6%,+12.8%), Conservative 150 (19.2% ,-0.6%), UKIP 118 (15.1% ,-10.0%), Green 32 (4.1%,-4.6%), Liberal Democrats 31 (4.0%).

Both of these wards were very safe for their respective parties (Conservative and Labour) and therefore the continuing decline of UKIP, particularly in Dudley, is the most noteworthy statistic about these results once again.

Onto the subject of parliamentary by-elections and the Green Party, I am pleased to hear that for the Sheffield Brightside & Hillsborough by-election, where the date has not yet been announced, we have reselected our 2015 candidate, Christine Gilligan-Kubo. This seat is likely to be abolished in the next boundary review, so this year will almost certainly be the last time that combination of Sheffield wards will be contested at parliamentary level. And keep a lookout for a Green Party candidate in the anticipated Ogmore by-election, which will occur because the incumbent Labour MP Huw Irranca-Davies is standing for the Welsh Assembly constituency that covers the exact same area in May. Ogmore will also be substantially altered by the aforementioned boundary review, like almost all existing UK parliament constituencies in Wales.

Alan.

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