Local Council by-elections 22nd July 2021

[Tony Otim]

CAMDEN LBC; Fortune Green (Lib Dem resigned)
Candidates:
COHEN, Ian (Conservative)
GREENWOOD, Lorna Louise (Labour)
JIRIRA, Nancy (Liberal Democrat)

2018: LD 1496, 1209, 1138; Lab 1468, 1353, 1326; Con 758, 663, 659; Grn 378
2014: LD 1151, 950, 865; Lab 1028, 967, 904; Con 893, 739, 686; Grn 403, 326, 318
2010: LD 2123, 1898, 1788; Con 1342, 1335, 1326; Lab 1207, 1190, 1177; Grn 595, 536, 287
Feb 08 by: LD 1206; Con 551; Lab 405; Grn 178
2006: LD 1446, 1187, 1132; Con 667, 608, 576; Lab 580, 545, 402; Grn 354, 305, 291
2002: LD 1295, 1121, 1111; Lab 483, 414, 409; Con 336, 323, 314; Grn 221, 199, 132

Ian Cohen was the top Conservative candidate back in 2014.

Current council: Lab 43; Con 7; LD 2; Grn 1; 1 vacancy



DOVER DC; Alkham & Capel-Le-Ferne (Con resigned)
Candidates:
COWAN, Gordon (Labour)
FRANKLIN, Roben Colin (Liberal Democrat)
HIBBERT, Martin Frederick (Conservative)
SHREAD, Nick (Green)

2019: Con 455; LD 317; Lab 101

Nick Shread stood in the Dover West division, which contains this ward, in May for the Greens.

Current Council: Con 18; Lab 11; Non-aligned 1; 2 vacancies



LEICESTER UA; Humberstone and Hamilton (Ind elected as Lab died)
Candidates:
ABDUL GHAFOOR, Abdul Jalil (Labour)
ATHWAL, Bicram (Liberal Democrat)
BELLINGER, Pam (Green)
CREWE, Daniel William (Conservative)
HASLETT, David John (For Britain)
SOLANKI, Raj (Reform UK)

2019: Lab 2095, 1905, 1895; Con 1128, 958, 903; Grn 650; LD 421
2015: Lab 3035, 2759, 2620; Con 1983, 1813, 1624; UKIP 1021, 921, 898; Grn 676; TUSC368, 320; Ind 205

Pam Bellinger was the Green candidate in 2019.

Current council: Lab 52; LD 1; 1 vacancy



NORTH SOMERSET UA; Congresbury & Puxton (Lib Dem resigned)
Candidates:
NEVE, Phil (Green)
PARRY, Dawn (Labour)
PEPPERALL, Samantha Louise (Conservative)

2019: LD 664; Lab 391; Con 166
2015: Grn 1269; Con 787; Lab 222

Samantha Pepperall has stood here in the last two elections for the Conservatives and before that in the old Congresbury ward in 2011.

Current Council: Ind 17; Con 13; LD 10; Lab 6; Grn 3; 1 vacancy



RHONDDA CYNON TAF UA; Tyn-y-Nant (Lab died)
Candidates:
BARTON, Julie Ann (Labour)
BELLIN, Ioan (Plaid Cymru)
GREEN, Rob (Conservative)

2017: Lab 557; Con 215
2012: Lab 791; PC 116
2008: Lab 700; PC 223
2004: Lab 675; PC 219

Current Council: Lab 47; PC 17; Ind 7; Con 3;



SPELTHORNE DC; Staines (Green resigned)
Candidates:
BEECHER, Malcolm Eric (Green)
COUCHMAN, Paul Dennis (TUSC)
GRAVETT, Gerald George (Reform UK)
WEST, Paul Simon (Independent)
ZENONOS, Michael (Conservatives)

2019: Grn 978, 890; Lab 633; Con 630, 623, 606; UKIP 297
2015: Con 1642, 1610, 1593; Lab 1144, 673; Grn 1045; UKIP 905; Spelthorne Ind 699; TUSC 212
2011: Con 1179, 1076, 1069; LD 893, 790, 743
2007: Con 794, 753, 751; LD 520, 439, 432; Lab 260, 223, 210
2003: Con 686, 681, 667; LD 407, 387, 381; Lab 318

Gerald Gravett was the UKIP candidate in 2019.

Current Council: Con 18; LD 7; United Spelthorne 4; Ind Group 2; Ind Lab 2; Ind Spelthorne 2; Lab 2; Grn 1; 1 vacancy



THANET DC; Cliftonville East (Con resigned)
Candidates:
CHALLINGER, Don (Labour)
LEYS, Charlie James (Conservative)
RILEY, Kanndiss (Women’s Equality Party)

2019: Con 1076, 951, 870; Lab 410, 375, 349;WEP 317
2015: UKIP 1531, 1354, 1336; Con 1349, 1321, 1261; Lab 614, 611, 603; Ind 228, 201
May 13 by: UKIP 699; Con 526; Lab 352; Ind 112; LD 32
2011: Con 1187, 1165, 1155; Ind 601, 598; Lab 515, 490, 456; Grn 283
2007: Con 1381, 1240, 1225; Lab 574, 522, 452; Grn 352
2003: Con 1531, 1400, 1369; Lab 524, 516, 471

Kandiss Riley stood for the Women’s Equality Party here in 2019 and also in the county council elections this May. The successful UKIP candidate from the 2013 by-election was one of the independents in 2015.

Current Council: Con 25; Lab 17; Thanet Independents 6; Grn 4; Ind 3; 1 vacancy



WIRRAL MBC; Liscard (Lab resigned)
Candidates:
ARROWSMITH, Sue (Liberal Democrat)
BERGIN, Gary (For Britain)
KENNY, Daisy Marie (Labour)
LAMB, Edward John (Green)
OWENS, Jane Helen (Conservative)
WILLIAMS, Lynda Ellen (Independent)

2021: Lab 1898; Con 875; Grn 271; LD 221; Reform 71
2019: Lab 1733; Con 609; UKIP 374; Grn 360; LD 319
2018: Lab 2241; Con 756; LD 337; Grn 190
2016: Lab 2240, 1672; Con 690, 427; UKIP 504; Grn 338; LD 280
2015: Lab 4397, UKIP 1352; LD 578; Grn 542; TUSC 118
2014: Lab 1619; UKIP 815; Con 649; Grn 273; LD 94
2012: Lab 1882; Con 1261; UKIP 400; Grn 230
2011: Lab 2523; Con 1673; UKIP 204; Grn 146; LD 121
2010: Lab 3220; Con 2474; LD 718; UKIP 238; Grn 231
2008: Con 2122; Lab 1369; UKIP 304; LD 195; Grn 159
2007: Con 2116; Lab 1609; LD 244; UKIP 149; Grn 143
2006: Con 2047; Lab 1396; LD 286; Grn 209; UKIP 166
2004: Lab 1908, 1789, 1776; Con 1760, 1516, 1450; LD 653, 630, 590

Sue Arrowsmith has stood here for the Lib Dems in the last three elections. Jane Owens was the Conservative candidate in May. Lynda Williams was the UKIP candidate from 2010-2016.

Current Council: Lab 29; Con 23; Ld 6; Grn 5; Ind 2; 1 vacancy

[finsobruce]

Jun 29, 2021 20:15:00 GMT Tony Otim said:

THANET DC; Cliftonville East (Con resigned)
Candidates:
CHALLINGER, Don (Labour)
LEYS, Charlie James (Conservative)
RILEY, Kanndiss (Women’s Equality Party)

2019: Con 1076, 951, 870; Lab 410, 375, 349;WEP 317
2015: UKIP 1531, 1354, 1336; Con 1349, 1321, 1261; Lab 614, 611, 603; Ind 228, 201
May 13 by: UKIP 699; Con 526; Lab 352; Ind 112; LD 32
2011: Con 1187, 1165, 1155; Ind 601, 598; Lab 515, 490, 456; Grn 283
2007: Con 1381, 1240, 1225; Lab 574, 522, 452; Grn 352
2003: Con 1531, 1400, 1369; Lab 524, 516, 471

Labour the main Challinger here.

[November_Rain]

The second place in Congresbury for us was very unexpected in 2019. The candidate didn't want to do it, and she was a 69 year old woman with some health issues. She attended a public meeting at the local church, got a brilliant applause and leafleted three days before the election (I co-wrote it with her). She only expected to do modest, but did rather well. She was on holiday in Spain the day of the election, and I (also a candidate) stood in for her as her result was first. Told her over Messenger, she was shocked but pleased!

We've got a good candidate, as she's a seasoned professional has the charisma and could do decently. However, we have a bad CLP without saying too much (care more about Assange than the local issues). The Tory candidate is known, and she is a threat. I do think it's the Greens as they've had this ward for quite a while bar standing aside in 2019 and he is a local campaigner. The issue of the airport expansion and unwanted development on green-belt land is a hot issue in this area, and that'll swing it. Might be worth adding that he was the Green candidate in the 2019 General Election for North Somerset (Liam Fox's backyard). 

[iang]

How come no Lib Dem candidate in Somerset if it is a Lib Dem defence? Cock up or arrangement with the Greens?

[November_Rain]

Jun 29, 2021 21:41:52 GMT iang said:

How come no Lib Dem candidate in Somerset if it is a Lib Dem defence? Cock up or arrangement with the Greens?

I think there's some sort of arrangement there to be frank. The Greens stood down in 2019 but backed the Lib Dem. It's likely the same again. 

[froome]

Jun 29, 2021 21:45:52 GMT November_Rain said:

Jun 29, 2021 21:41:52 GMT iang said:

How come no Lib Dem candidate in Somerset if it is a Lib Dem defence? Cock up or arrangement with the Greens?

I think there's some sort of arrangement there to be frank. The Greens stood down in 2019 but backed the Lib Dem. It's likely the same again. 

There has long been an understanding, rather than a formal arrangement, between the two parties in this ward and to an extent more widely in the area, which bore fruit in allowing for the existing administration to form.

[WestCountryRadical]

Jun 29, 2021 21:17:00 GMT November_Rain said:

We've got a good candidate, as she's a seasoned professional has the charisma and could do decently. However, we have a bad CLP without saying too much (care more about Assange than the local issues). The Tory candidate is known, and she is a threat. I do think it's the Greens as they've had this ward for quite a while bar standing aside in 2019 and he is a local campaigner. The issue of the airport expansion and unwanted development on green-belt land is a hot issue in this area, and that'll swing it. Might be worth adding that he was the Green candidate in the 2019 General Election for North Somerset (Liam Fox's backyard). 

Congresbury had one of the first Green councillors in the country, Richard Lawson, elected in 1986, he stood down in 1991 but the ward was held by the Greens until 2019 and was usually a safe ward for them. I think its switch to the Lib Dems in 2019 reflects what local candidates happened to be available at that time. The Conservatives did disastrously across much of North Somerset in that election, and the council is now run by a "rainbow alliance" of Independents, Lib Dems, Labour and Greens. The ward should revert back to the Greens this time, but there will likely be some resurgence in the Conservative vote.

The Labour candidate Dawn Parry has had an interesting political journey. A Labour supporter in 1997, she later became a Conservative councillor in Weston-super-Mare, and contested Newport East as a Conservative in the 2010 general election when she attracted some controversy for her comment “It’s Labour’s fault for dropping exam standards so every Tom, Dick & Harry goes to Uni.” After losing her council seat she left the Tories and stood in Bristol West as an Independent in the 2015 general election, and then came back to Labour and stood for them in the 2019 elections in North Somerset.

[November_Rain]

Jun 29, 2021 22:03:15 GMT WestCountryRadical said:

Jun 29, 2021 21:17:00 GMT November_Rain said:

We've got a good candidate, as she's a seasoned professional has the charisma and could do decently. However, we have a bad CLP without saying too much (care more about Assange than the local issues). The Tory candidate is known, and she is a threat. I do think it's the Greens as they've had this ward for quite a while bar standing aside in 2019 and he is a local campaigner. The issue of the airport expansion and unwanted development on green-belt land is a hot issue in this area, and that'll swing it. Might be worth adding that he was the Green candidate in the 2019 General Election for North Somerset (Liam Fox's backyard). 

Congresbury had one of the first Green councillors in the country, Richard Lawson, elected in 1986, he stood down in 1991 but the ward was held by the Greens until 2019 and was usually a safe ward for them. I think its switch to the Lib Dems in 2019 reflects what local candidates happened to be available at that time. The Conservatives did disastrously across much of North Somerset in that election, and the council is now run by a "rainbow alliance" of Independents, Lib Dems, Labour and Greens. The ward should revert back to the Greens this time, but there will likely be some resurgence in the Conservative vote.

The Labour candidate Dawn Parry has had an interesting political journey. A Labour supporter in 1997, she later became a Conservative councillor in Weston-super-Mare, and contested Newport East as a Conservative in the 2010 general election when she attracted some controversy for her comment “It’s Labour’s fault for dropping exam standards so every Tom, Dick & Harry goes to Uni.” After losing her council seat she left the Tories and stood in Bristol West as an Independent in the 2015 general election, and then came back to Labour and stood for them in the 2019 elections in North Somerset.

That is the exact reason what happened plus what froome mentioned as well. I can see us potentially being back to third but depends on the campaign.

I know her personally and she is a very nice person. Yes she's had a journey politically but her heart is in the right place and she is respected in the CLP. She was unlucky not to get elected in 2019, but the whole local campaign was a shambles. 

[WestCountryRadical]

Jun 29, 2021 22:11:22 GMT November_Rain said:

I know her personally and she is a very nice person. Yes she's had a journey politically but her heart is in the right place and she is respected in the CLP. She was unlucky not to get elected in 2019, but the whole local campaign was a shambles. 

There's some more insights in this interview when she stood in Bristol in 2015, where she says she "would like to see all Bristol’s cranes painted to look like giraffes", and claims her Facebook profile having liked some UKIP pages was a conspiracy by the Tories.

[carlton43]

Jun 29, 2021 22:31:46 GMT WestCountryRadical said:

Jun 29, 2021 22:11:22 GMT November_Rain said:

I know her personally and she is a very nice person. Yes she's had a journey politically but her heart is in the right place and she is respected in the CLP. She was unlucky not to get elected in 2019, but the whole local campaign was a shambles. 

There's some more insights in this interview when she stood in Bristol in 2015, where she says she "would like to see all Bristol’s cranes painted to look like giraffes", and claims her Facebook profile having liked some UKIP pages was a conspiracy by the Tories.

But does sound like the sort of daft punk she might have said.  Any person who stood for office as a CON and then turned to LAB recently must be close to being seriously deranged.  What on earth could they find in any way compelling or attractive or important at this moment to draw them back?

[East Anglian Lefty]

Is the absence of a Labour candidate in Staines the result of an arrangement with the local Greens?

[Davıd Boothroyd]

Almost certainly. Labour is well enough organised in Staines to have been able to find three candidates in 2019 so the decision to run only one while the Greens put up only two indicates an electoral agreement, which presumably still holds.

(Unlike between Lib Dems and Greens in Richmond)

[The Bishop]

Jun 30, 2021 7:59:45 GMT carlton43 said:

Jun 29, 2021 22:31:46 GMT WestCountryRadical said:

There's some more insights in this interview when she stood in Bristol in 2015, where she says she "would like to see all Bristol’s cranes painted to look like giraffes", and claims her Facebook profile having liked some UKIP pages was a conspiracy by the Tories.

But does sound like the sort of daft punk she might have said.  Any person who stood for office as a CON and then turned to LAB recently must be close to being seriously deranged.  What on earth could they find in any way compelling or attractive or important at this moment to draw them back?

There's nowt as queer as folk. Though it shoud be noted she actually joined the party in the Corbyn years, when quite a few others also did.

(and she was Labour originally, of course)

[carlton43]

Jun 30, 2021 12:19:46 GMT The Bishop said:

Jun 30, 2021 7:59:45 GMT carlton43 said:

But does sound like the sort of daft punk she might have said.  Any person who stood for office as a CON and then turned to LAB recently must be close to being seriously deranged.  What on earth could they find in any way compelling or attractive or important at this moment to draw them back?

There's nowt as queer as folk. Though it shoud be noted she actually joined the party in the Corbyn years, when quite a few others also did.

(and she was Labour originally, of course)

Good point.  I had assumed the return was post-Corbyn.

[andrew111]

Jun 30, 2021 10:20:02 GMT East Anglian Lefty said:

Is the absence of a Labour candidate in Staines the result of an arrangement with the local Greens?

How about the absence of a Green candidate in Fortune ward Camden?

[evergreenadam]

Jun 30, 2021 10:20:02 GMT East Anglian Lefty said:

Is the absence of a Labour candidate in Staines the result of an arrangement with the local Greens?

I would expect so, there seem to have been some tactical games with the nominations in Spelthorne local elections for some time, in order to defeat the Tories.

[WestCountryRadical]

Jun 30, 2021 12:22:28 GMT carlton43 said:

Jun 30, 2021 12:19:46 GMT The Bishop said:

There's nowt as queer as folk. Though it shoud be noted she actually joined the party in the Corbyn years, when quite a few others also did.

(and she was Labour originally, of course)

Good point.  I had assumed the return was post-Corbyn.

It appears that she joins a party, and then becomes disillusioned once that party is in Government, so I guess she'll remain in the Labour Party for a long time.

[carlton43]

Jun 30, 2021 15:44:35 GMT WestCountryRadical said:

Jun 30, 2021 12:22:28 GMT carlton43 said:

Good point.  I had assumed the return was post-Corbyn.

It appears that she joins a party, and then becomes disillusioned once that party is in Government, so I guess she'll remain in the Labour Party for a long time.

Yes.  We all have a bit of that don't we?  Easier to be pure and 'on message' if not in power.

Suits the Conservatives as most don't care about purity or the message but do like being in power.

So current situation could become perpetual?

[andrew111]

Jun 30, 2021 16:18:46 GMT carlton43 said:

Jun 30, 2021 15:44:35 GMT WestCountryRadical said:

It appears that she joins a party, and then becomes disillusioned once that party is in Government, so I guess she'll remain in the Labour Party for a long time.

Yes.  We all have a bit of that don't we?  Easier to be pure and 'on message' if not in power.

Suits the Conservatives as most don't care about purity or the message but do like being in power.

So current situation could become perpetual?

But where does the transmutation of cranes into giraffes come in?

[carlton43]

Jun 30, 2021 16:23:21 GMT andrew111 said:

Jun 30, 2021 16:18:46 GMT carlton43 said:

Yes.  We all have a bit of that don't we?  Easier to be pure and 'on message' if not in power.

Suits the Conservatives as most don't care about purity or the message but do like being in power.

So current situation could become perpetual?

But where does the transmutation of cranes into giraffes come in?

A small dusty empty room down an obscure corridor in what she is pleased to term 'her brain'!