Local Council by-elections 26th October 2023

[Tony Otim]

BURNLEY DC; Trinity (Grn resigned)
Candidates:
HALL, Alex (Green)
LONE, Mubashar (Labour)
NUTTER, Susan Margaret (Conservative)

2023: Grn 552; Lab 233; Con 78
2022: Grn 635; Lab 228; Con 89
2021: Grn 634; Lab 242; Con 162; BPIP 67
2019: Grn 770; Lab 209; BPIP 107; LD 36; Con 35
2018: Grn 789; Lab 291; Con 75; BPIP 45
2016: Lab 452; LD 236; Grn 219
2015: Lab 950; UKIP 509; LD 506
2014: Lab 518; LD 287; TUSC 119
Sep 12by: Lab 493; LD 256; Con 96; BNP 95; UKIP 35; NF 26
2012: Lab 558; LD 302; BNP 102
2011: Lab 669; LD 246; Con 140; BNP 129
2010: Lab 672; LD 671; Con 307; BNP 301
2008: Lab 497; BNP 283; LD 244; Con 147
2007: Lab 514; BNP 369; LD 311; Con 96
2006: Lab 428; BNP 410; LD 266; Con 156
2004: Lab 984; Con 475
2003: Lab 598; BNP 491; LD 310; Soc All 38
2002: Lab 1022, 914, 897; BNP 643; LD 626; Soc All 273

Vacancy is for the 2022-26 term. Alex Hall was the unsuccessful Green candidate in Brunshaw in May and last year (missing out by 59 and 70 votes). Mubaser Lone stood for Labour in Coalclough with Deerplay and Susan Nutter for the Conservatives in Bank Hall.

Current Council: Lab 22*; Con 7; LD 7; Grn 6; Ind 2*; 1 vacancy

* The council still lists Charlie Briggs as an Independent, but as can be seen below he is the Labour candidate in the county by-election and I count him as Labour here.



COVENTRY MBC; Earlsdon (Lab resigned)
Candidates:
BAXTER, Cameron Ewart (Coventry Citizens)
FINLAYSON, John David Campbell (Green)
HARMSWORTH, Adam Joachim (TUSC)
KELLY, Lynnette Catherine (Labour)
REHMAN, Zaid (Conservative)
RICHMOND, Stephen John (Liberal Democrat)

2023: Lab 2627; Con 1467; LD 367; Grn 350; Cov Cit 148; TUSC 66
2022: Lab 2806; Con 1537; LD 469; Grn 250; CovCit 181; TUSC 48
2021: Lab 2619; con 2133; LD 590; Grn 364; CovCit 252; TUSC 52
2019: Lab 2155; Con 2051; Grn 535; LD 394
2018: Lab 2375; Con 2219; LD 322; Grn 260
2016: Con 2416; Lab 1755; Grn 367; LD 212; TUSC 130
2015: Con 3865; Lab 3132; UKIP 613; Grn 578; LD 435; TUSC 202
2014: Con 2129; Lab 1962; Grn 561; LD 277; TUSC 135
2012: Con 2137; Lab 1442; GRn 327; UKIP 272; LD 261; SocAlt 116; Chr Mov GB 43
2011: Con 2596; Lab 2482; LD 469; Grn 343; SocAlt 136
2010: Con 3207; Lab 3014; LD 2111; Grn 408; SocAlt 172
2008: Con 2515; Lab 1155; Grn 698; LD 440
2007: Con 2364; Lab 1241; Grn 652; LD 427; BNP 189
2006: Con 2520; Lab 1073; Grn 805; LD 670
2004: Con 2789, 2657, 2598; Lab 1782, 1724, 1341; LD 1193; Ind 703

Vacancy is for 2023-26 (when new boundaries and all-outs are due) term. Apart from Kelly (Lab), the other 5 candidates all stood here in May and 2022 and 2021, with the Green also having stood in 2019 and the Lib Dem in 2019 and 2018. Lynette Kelly was the Labour candidate in Holbrook in May, losing the seat to the Greens and had previously stood in Woodlands.

Current Council: Lab 35; Con 15; Grn 2; No Party 1; 1 vacancy



HEREFORDSHIRE UA; Golden Valley South (Ind 4 Hereford died) (postponed from 7th Sept)
Candidates:
ENGEL, Matthew (Independent)
GREENOW, Dave (Conservative)
GRENAR, Sandy (Labour)
HORNSEY, Cat (Liberal Democrat)
JONES, Mike (Independent)


2023: Ind 594; Con 400; LD 142
2019: Ind 805; Con 149; Lab 142
Sep 17by: Ind 462; Con 254; Ind 152; Grn 109; Lab 104
2015: Con 1364; Grn 357; Ind 351

Matthew Engel replaces the deceased Toby Murcott from the previous nominations. Dave Greenow was the unsuccessful Conservative here in May. Cat Hornsey narrowly missed out for the Lib Dems in Dinedor Hill. Mike Jones was the previous councillor for Weobley who lost his seat to the Conservatives in May.

Current Council: Con 21; LD 12; Grn 9; Ind for Herefordshire 5; True Independents 3; Lab 1; Ungrouped 1; 1 vacancy.



LANCASHIRE CC; Burnley Central West (Grn resigned)
Candidates:
BRIGGS, Charlie (Labour)
CUNLIFFE, Scott (Green)
SUMNER, Jeff (Liberal Democrat)
WHITAKER, Don (Conservative)

2021: Grn 1081; Con 830; BPIP 613; Lab 535; LD 386
2017: Lab 927; LD 904; Con 685; Grn 327; UKIP237; Ind 140

Jeff Sumner (LD) is sitting district councillor for Rosehill with Burnley Wood. Charlie Briggs is sitting district councillor for Gannow ward, elected for Burnley & Padiham Independents before the recent move to Labour. Scott Cunliffe (Grn) is sitting district councillor for Cliviger with Worsthorne Ward and Don Whitaker (Con) is sitting district councillor for Whittlefield with Ightenhill ward and was the unsuccessful Conservative candidate here in 2021. This division consists of Trinity (2Grn and 1 vacancy (see above)) and Whittlefield with Ightenhill (3 Con) ward along with part of Gannow ward (2 BPIP and 1 Lab elected as BPIP). The Greens would have almost certainly have been ahead across the division in May.

Current Council: Con 48; Lab 32; LD 2; Grn 1; 1 vacancy



WALTHAM FOREST; Highams Hill (Lab resigned)
Candidates:
ALI-RAHMAN, Shumon Saifur (Labour)
BHUIYAN, Moufazzal (Conservative)
LEWIS, Alex (Liberal Democrat)
TAAFFE, Nancy (TUSC)
WOODMAN, Abigail Kate (Green)

2022: Lab 2001, 1775, 1672; Grn 662; LD 316, 262, 230; TUSC 158; Con 150, 148, 121

Moufazzal Bhuiyan (Con) stood in Upper Walthamstow last year, Alex Lewis(LD) stood in Chapel End and Nancy Taaffe (TUSC) and Abigail Woodman (Grn) in High Street.

Current Council: Lab 45; Con 13; Ind 1; 1 vacancy

[The Bishop]

Is that the journalist and writer Matthew Engel in Herefordshire? IIRC he lives in that part of the world.

[Davıd Boothroyd]

Oct 2, 2023 9:13:14 GMT The Bishop said:

Is that the journalist and writer Matthew Engel in Herefordshire? IIRC he lives in that part of the world.

My thought as well, and I think it is. Same full name (Matthew Lewis Engel) and same address.

I also note the Conservative agent is former MEP (2011-2020) Anthea McIntyre.

[Chris from Brum]

I hadn't realised that Engel is in his seventies now. Cricket enthusiasts will remember that he has twice been editor of the Wisden almanack, and was cricket correspondent for the Grauniad in the eighties and nineties.

[finsobruce]

Oct 2, 2023 9:13:14 GMT The Bishop said:

Is that the journalist and writer Matthew Engel in Herefordshire? IIRC he lives in that part of the world.

He wrote an obituary for a former local councillor so I think it's certainly him.

www.theguardian.com/society/2023/sep/26/letter-peter-jinman-obituary

[andrewp]

Oct 2, 2023 10:48:04 GMT finsobruce said:

Oct 2, 2023 9:13:14 GMT The Bishop said:

Is that the journalist and writer Matthew Engel in Herefordshire? IIRC he lives in that part of the world.

He wrote an obituary for a former local councillor so I think it's certainly him.

www.theguardian.com/society/2023/sep/26/letter-peter-jinman-obituary

The councillor who he is seeking to replace, 

[batman]

Apparently it was said of Engel that making him Editor of Wisden was like having the OMRLP in government. However I think he did a pretty good job as editor and most people in the cricket world agree with this

[greenchristian]

Oct 2, 2023 8:59:00 GMT Tony Otim said:

COVENTRY MBC; Earlsdon (Lab resigned)
Candidates:
BAXTER, Cameron Ewart (Coventry Citizens)
FINLAYSON, John David Campbell (Green)
HARMSWORTH, Adam Joachim (TUSC)
KELLY, Lynnette Catherine (Labour)
REHMAN, Zaid (Conservative)
RICHMOND, Stephen John (Liberal Democrat)

2023: Lab 2627; Con 1467; LD 367; Grn 350; Cov Cit 148; TUSC 66
2022: Lab 2806; Con 1537; LD 469; Grn 250; CovCit 181; TUSC 48
2021: Lab 2619; con 2133; LD 590; Grn 364; CovCit 252; TUSC 52
2019: Lab 2155; Con 2051; Grn 535; LD 394
2018: Lab 2375; Con 2219; LD 322; Grn 260
2016: Con 2416; Lab 1755; Grn 367; LD 212; TUSC 130
2015: Con 3865; Lab 3132; UKIP 613; Grn 578; LD 435; TUSC 202
2014: Con 2129; Lab 1962; Grn 561; LD 277; TUSC 135
2012: Con 2137; Lab 1442; GRn 327; UKIP 272; LD 261; SocAlt 116; Chr Mov GB 43
2011: Con 2596; Lab 2482; LD 469; Grn 343; SocAlt 136
2010: Con 3207; Lab 3014; LD 2111; Grn 408; SocAlt 172
2008: Con 2515; Lab 1155; Grn 698; LD 440
2007: Con 2364; Lab 1241; Grn 652; LD 427; BNP 189
2006: Con 2520; Lab 1073; Grn 805; LD 670
2004: Con 2789, 2657, 2598; Lab 1782, 1724, 1341; LD 1193; Ind 703

Vacancy is for 2023-26 (when new boundaries and all-outs are due) term. Apart from Kelly (Lab), the other 5 candidates all stood here in May and 2022 and 2021, with the Green also having stood in 2019 and the Lib Dem in 2019 and 2018. Lynette Kelly was the Labour candidate in Holbrook in May, losing the seat to the Greens and had previously stood in Woodlands.

Current Council: Lab 35; Con 15; Grn 2; No Party 1; 1 vacancy

Lynette Kelley was previously a councillor in Henley (2004- 2015) and in Sherbourne (2016-2021). In 2015 she had deliberately stood down in a failed attempt to win Warwick and Leamington at the GE.

[greenman]

In Burnley Central West where will the former BPIP vote go from 2021,613? Back to Labour because Briggs was a former BPIP councillor or to Liberal Democrats where BPIP came out of?

[owainsutton]

Oct 20, 2023 14:37:29 GMT greenman said:

In Burnley Central West where will the former BPIP vote go from 2021,613? Back to Labour because Briggs was a former BPIP councillor or to Liberal Democrats where BPIP came out of?

TBH, despite being very familiar with Burnley Greens' activities and campaigns, I have absolutely no idea. Whittlefield with Ightenhill in particular throws up unexpected outcomes.

[iainbhx]

Oct 17, 2023 6:44:07 GMT greenchristian said:

Lynette Kelley was previously a councillor in Henley (2004- 2015) and in Sherbourne (2016-2021). In 2015 she had deliberately stood down in a failed attempt to win Warwick and Leamington at the GE.

She also failed to win Birmingham, Yardley in 2010.

[phil156]

They will all count on Thursday so we can sleep on Friday morning

[owainsutton]

Oct 20, 2023 17:50:47 GMT owainsutton said:

Oct 20, 2023 14:37:29 GMT greenman said:

In Burnley Central West where will the former BPIP vote go from 2021,613? Back to Labour because Briggs was a former BPIP councillor or to Liberal Democrats where BPIP came out of?

TBH, despite being very familiar with Burnley Greens' activities and campaigns, I have absolutely no idea. Whittlefield with Ightenhill in particular throws up unexpected outcomes.

Having finally made it there to do some canvassing today, I stand by the above. W&I feels as unpredictable as ever, the Tory vote is crumbling but no clarity as to where it will go (or whether it might just stay at home). We shouldn't have any trouble retaining our strength in Trinity, and Briggs will surely cause a Labour surge in the part of Gannow involved...so....dunno.

[Chris from Brum]

Andrew's Previews have been for their morning run ... medium.com/britainelects/previewing-the-five-local-by-elections-of-26th-october-2023-6c470053a258

[Davıd Boothroyd]

WALTHAM FOREST Higham Hill

Shumon Saifur ALI-RAHMAN (Labour Party) 924
Alex LEWIS (Liberal Democrat Focus Team) 268
Abigail Kate WOODMAN (Green Party) 198
Nancy TAAFFE (Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition) 144
Moufazzal BHUIYAN (The Conservative Party Candidate) 78

[Chris from Brum]

Oct 26, 2023 22:27:32 GMT Davıd Boothroyd said:

WALTHAM FOREST Higham Hill

Shumon Saifur ALI-RAHMAN (Labour Party) 924
Alex LEWIS (Liberal Democrat Focus Team) 268
Abigail Kate WOODMAN (Green Party) 198
Nancy TAAFFE (Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition) 144
Moufazzal BHUIYAN (The Conservative Party Candidate) 78

Not particularly close, but good to beat the Greens for second place. Awful for the Tories.

[manchesterman]

TUSC got almost double the Tory vote!

[finsobruce]

Oct 26, 2023 22:27:32 GMT Davıd Boothroyd said:

WALTHAM FOREST Higham Hill

Shumon Saifur ALI-RAHMAN (Labour Party) 924
Alex LEWIS (Liberal Democrat Focus Team) 268
Abigail Kate WOODMAN (Green Party) 198
Nancy TAAFFE (Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition) 144
Moufazzal BHUIYAN (The Conservative Party Candidate) 78

Nancy Taaffe is of course the daughter of Peter Taaffe, former general secretary of the Socialist Party and very prominent member of Militant before that. So I suspect that they actually did a bit of work.

[carolus]

Oct 26, 2023 22:36:54 GMT Chris from Brum said:

Oct 26, 2023 22:27:32 GMT Davıd Boothroyd said:

WALTHAM FOREST Higham Hill

Shumon Saifur ALI-RAHMAN (Labour Party) 924
Alex LEWIS (Liberal Democrat Focus Team) 268
Abigail Kate WOODMAN (Green Party) 198
Nancy TAAFFE (Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition) 144
Moufazzal BHUIYAN (The Conservative Party Candidate) 78

Not particularly close, but good to beat the Greens for second place. Awful for the Tories.

Though not that much worse for the Tories than their already poor result last May.

[manchesterman]

Lab 57.3%
LD 16.6%
Green 12.3%
TUSC 8.9%
Con 4.8%