My analysis of local by-elections from 17/8/17 and my tribute to Sir Bruce Forsyth
Readers, this week's local by-election results were as follows:
Aylesbury DC, Riverside: Conservative 301 (34.7%, +4.6%), Liberal Democrats 286 (32.9%, +16.1%), Labour 210 (24.2%, +4.5%), UKIP 48 (5.5%, -27.9%), Green 23 (2.3%).
Aylesbury DC, Southcourt: Liberal Democrats 456 (37.3%, +9.5%), Conservative 386 (31.5%, +7.3%), Labour 270 (22.1%, +0.6%), Green 58 (4.7%, -0.5%), UKIP 55 (4.4%, -16.8%).
Forest Heath DC, St Mary's: Conservative 338 (50.1%, +5.0%), Labour 276 (40.9%, +12.4%), Green 60 (8.9%).
Peterborough UA, Park: Labour 1713 (49.6%, +9.8%), Conservative 1375 (39.8%, +2.2%), UKIP 176 (5.1%, -4.0%), Liberal Democrats 109 (3.2%, -1.1%), Green 83 (2.4%, -6.9%).
Each of these elections was a tight contest, which ironically explains why none of them changed hands this week, although Riverside was a near-miss for the Liberal Democrats who are experiencing a local revival in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire's county town. Surprisingly given that the holiday month of August generally produces the second lowest local by-election turnouts (only December's are lower overall), the Park by-election recorded a turnout of as high as 49.93%, partly due to the crucial nature of the by-election; had the Conservatives won they would have regained their overall majority on Peterborough Council. In the event the seat was held by Labour with an increased majority, and right in the middle of a constituency they gained against the odds earlier this year. (The Peterborough constituency is really Peterborough North, since the southern suburbs of the city of Peterborough are part of the North West Cambridgeshire constituency, which does not contain any part of traditional Cambridgeshire and is really Peterborough South & North Huntingdonshire. ) Naturally, all other parties got squeezed in that particular by-election, especially the Greens. The good Green performance in St Mary's in Forest Heath is partly down to the absence of a Liberal Democrat candidate, as the Green Party had never contested that ward of Forest Heath before. UKIP crashed out as usual, although they nevertheless helped the Conservatives hold Aylesbury Riverside and Forest Heath St Mary's (where they did not actually stand).
In other news, in addition to the 14 people killed in the recent Barcelona terrorist attack, it is time to pay tribute to game show host Sir Bruce Forsyth, who died today at the age of 89 having been seriously unwell for some time. He will be remembered not only for Strictly Come Dancing, but also such other game shows gone by as Play Your Cards Right, which in life is exactly what he did, mostly. He was also famously knighted after an early day motion by MPs in 2011. I therefore bid him a fond farewell.
Aylesbury DC, Riverside: Conservative 301 (34.7%, +4.6%), Liberal Democrats 286 (32.9%, +16.1%), Labour 210 (24.2%, +4.5%), UKIP 48 (5.5%, -27.9%), Green 23 (2.3%).
Aylesbury DC, Southcourt: Liberal Democrats 456 (37.3%, +9.5%), Conservative 386 (31.5%, +7.3%), Labour 270 (22.1%, +0.6%), Green 58 (4.7%, -0.5%), UKIP 55 (4.4%, -16.8%).
Forest Heath DC, St Mary's: Conservative 338 (50.1%, +5.0%), Labour 276 (40.9%, +12.4%), Green 60 (8.9%).
Peterborough UA, Park: Labour 1713 (49.6%, +9.8%), Conservative 1375 (39.8%, +2.2%), UKIP 176 (5.1%, -4.0%), Liberal Democrats 109 (3.2%, -1.1%), Green 83 (2.4%, -6.9%).
Each of these elections was a tight contest, which ironically explains why none of them changed hands this week, although Riverside was a near-miss for the Liberal Democrats who are experiencing a local revival in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire's county town. Surprisingly given that the holiday month of August generally produces the second lowest local by-election turnouts (only December's are lower overall), the Park by-election recorded a turnout of as high as 49.93%, partly due to the crucial nature of the by-election; had the Conservatives won they would have regained their overall majority on Peterborough Council. In the event the seat was held by Labour with an increased majority, and right in the middle of a constituency they gained against the odds earlier this year. (The Peterborough constituency is really Peterborough North, since the southern suburbs of the city of Peterborough are part of the North West Cambridgeshire constituency, which does not contain any part of traditional Cambridgeshire and is really Peterborough South & North Huntingdonshire. ) Naturally, all other parties got squeezed in that particular by-election, especially the Greens. The good Green performance in St Mary's in Forest Heath is partly down to the absence of a Liberal Democrat candidate, as the Green Party had never contested that ward of Forest Heath before. UKIP crashed out as usual, although they nevertheless helped the Conservatives hold Aylesbury Riverside and Forest Heath St Mary's (where they did not actually stand).
In other news, in addition to the 14 people killed in the recent Barcelona terrorist attack, it is time to pay tribute to game show host Sir Bruce Forsyth, who died today at the age of 89 having been seriously unwell for some time. He will be remembered not only for Strictly Come Dancing, but also such other game shows gone by as Play Your Cards Right, which in life is exactly what he did, mostly. He was also famously knighted after an early day motion by MPs in 2011. I therefore bid him a fond farewell.
Comments
Post a Comment