Local Council By-elections 3rd October 2024

[Tony Otim]

BLACKPOOL UA; Marton (Lab Resigned)
Candidates:
BENSON, Sam (Labour)
GREENE, Bill (Liberal Democrats)
HARVEY, Neil (Conservative)
O’NEILL, Jim (Reform UK)
STANSFIELD, Andrew Charles (Independent)
THOMAS, Ben (Green)

2023: Lab 814, 799; Con 630, 595; RefUK 150

Andrew Stansfield (Ind) was the top Conservative here in 2023 and Conservative cllr for the ward on previous boundaries 2019-23. Ben Thomas (Grn) was the Green candidate for Blackpool South (which contains this ward) at both the General and the by-election earlier in the year and stood (appropriately enough) in Greenlands ward last May. Bill Greene was the Lib Dem candidate for Blackpool South in 3 elections 2015-19, but stood in Blackpool North & Fleetwood in July and contested Highfield ward last year. Neil Harvey (Con) stood in Victoria in 2023 and Jim O’Neill (Reform) stood in Waterloo as an independent.

Current Council: Lab 27; Con 14; 1 vacancy



DUNDEE UA; Lochee (Lab died)
Candidates:
BOURKE, Outi (Liberal Democrat)
MILLS, Lee (SNP)
REDDY, John (Workers Party)
ROSS, Alan (Alba)
SMITH, Marty (Labour)
TREHARNE, Kate (Green)
WALKER, Calum (Conservative)

2022: SNP 2174, 351; Lab 1678, 412; Con 488; Grn 244; LD 184; Alba 184; SFP 128
2017: SNP 1661, 818; Lab 924, 778; Con 700; Ind 565; Grn 132; TUSC 102; LD 91, 31

Alan Ross (Alba) was the SNP cllr elected top in 2017 and the Alba candidate in 2022 and also contested Dundee Central in the General Election. Kate Treharne was the Green candidate in 2022. Also in 2022, Outi Bourke (LD) stood in East End and Calum Walker (Con) in Strathmartine.


DUNDEE UA: Strathmartine (SNP resigned)
Candidates:
ALI, Naveed (Conservative)
BAIRD, Callum (Greens)
BLACK, Jimmy (SNP)
BLAIN, Jenny (Liberal Democrat)
MACLEOD, Donald (TUSC)
McCREADY, Richard (Labour)

2022: SNP 2143, 559; Lab 1359; LD 1116; Con 351; Grn 199; Alba 105; SFP 81; TUSC 43
2017: SNP 1956, 680; Lab 1155; LD 828; Ind 825; Con 546; TISC 105

Callum Baird was the Green candidate here in 2022. Richard McCready was the Labour candidate in Dundee Central at the General election and came quite close to winning. He is a former councillor for West End Ward who lost his seat in 2022. Also in 2022, Naveed Ali (Con) and Jenny Blain (LD) stood in Coldside .

I think these are the first Scottish by-elections since the General with no Reform candidates.

Current Council: SNP 14; Lab 8; LD 4; Con 1; 2 vacancies



LANCASTER DC; Scotforth East (Lab resigned)
Candidates:
JARNELL, Mark Andrew (Labour)
MARTIN, Malcolm (Liberal Democrat)
OTWAY, Andrew Robert (Green)
WOOD, Timothy (Conservative)

2023: Lab 607, 529; Grn 526, 473; Con 278, 209; LD 87

In 2023, Mark Jarnell (Lab) stood in Heysham North and Malcolm Martin (LD) in Scotforth West.

Current Council: Grn 22; Lab 21; LD 7; Con 5; Morecambe Bay Ind 3; Non-Aligned Ind 2; 1 vacancy

[doktorb🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️]

[Forfarshire Conservative]

Here in Lochee, I’ve had two leaflets from the SNP and one postcaird from the Greens. Nothing from Labour yet, which is a bit annoying as they hold the seat and you’d expect at least minimal effort from them.

[batman]

Sept 24, 2024 15:58:47 GMT Forfarshire Conservative said:

Here in Lochee, I’ve had two leaflets from the SNP and one postcaird from the Greens. Nothing from Labour yet, which is a bit annoying as they hold the seat and you’d expect at least minimal effort from them.

we are deliberately trying to annoy you by not leafletting you

[andrewteale]

My band had an evening engagement earlier this year at the Village Hotel in this ward, which is next to the zoo. Band members going outside for a smoke break could hear lions roaring in the distance.

Lions at Blackpool Zoo are of course dangerous, just ask Albert.

[finsobruce]

Sept 24, 2024 17:20:40 GMT andrewteale said:

My band had an evening engagement earlier this year at the Village Hotel in this ward, which is next to the zoo. Band members going outside for a smoke break could hear lions roaring in the distance.

Lions at Blackpool Zoo are of course dangerous, just ask Albert.

For those who don't know, if there can possibly be any...

[batman]

Stanley Holloway has been mentioned in a previous constituency profile by Robert Waller, but unfortunately I cannot remember which one. It referred to a ferry.

[andrewteale]

Sept 24, 2024 18:17:14 GMT batman said:

Stanley Holloway has been mentioned in a previous constituency profile by Robert Waller, but unfortunately I cannot remember which one. It referred to a ferry.

"Tuppence per person per trip". It was the Widnes-Runcorn ferry so it would presumably be one of those constituencies.

[finsobruce]

Sept 24, 2024 18:24:49 GMT andrewteale said:

Sept 24, 2024 18:17:14 GMT batman said:

Stanley Holloway has been mentioned in a previous constituency profile by Robert Waller, but unfortunately I cannot remember which one. It referred to a ferry.

"Tuppence per person per trip". It was the Widnes-Runcorn ferry so it would presumably be one of those constituencies.

[J.G.Harston]

Sept 24, 2024 17:36:23 GMT finsobruce said:

Sept 24, 2024 17:20:40 GMT andrewteale said:

My band had an evening engagement earlier this year at the Village Hotel in this ward, which is next to the zoo. Band members going outside for a smoke break could hear lions roaring in the distance.

Lions at Blackpool Zoo are of course dangerous, just ask Albert.

For those who don't know, if there can possibly be any...

That reminds me, I must pop down to the chemists' and get a recumbent posture.

[Robert Waller]

Halton, I would think ….

[ClevelandYorks]

Significant risk that Labour fail to win any of these four seats. But a week is a long time in politics!

[Tony Otim]

Sept 27, 2024 11:58:48 GMT ClevelandYorks said:

Significant risk that Labour fail to win any of these four seats. But a week is a long time in politics!

I would make them favourites in Lochee - quite strong favourites actually, they seem to be holding up much better in Scotland and SNP and Conservatives both seem to still be falling (at least compared to 2022), so would fancy them there.

[batman]

A quite likely outcome in Lochee is the SNP coming top on first prefs but losing on transfers, as in Inverness. I see Forfarshire Conservative doesn't have a candidate of his preference standing there. I will be pleasantly surprised if we hold either of our other 2 seats

[The Bishop]

Lancaster in particular would be a bit of a surprise if Labour held it, but I would just note the recent Green results in council byelections haven't been great either.

[Forfarshire Conservative]

Sept 27, 2024 12:29:49 GMT batman said:

A quite likely outcome in Lochee is the SNP coming top on first prefs but losing on transfers, as in Inverness. I see Forfarshire Conservative doesn't have a candidate of his preference standing there. I will be pleasantly surprised if we hold either of our other 2 seats

My first preference will be for the Conservatives, I may also second preference Labour to try and help them over the SNP who I dislike more. I haven't decided yet on that however.  

[batman]

That’s logical enough. It’s just that there’s been a rash of Scottish by-elections where Reform have stood but when one comes around in your ward they have not obliged you.

[sanders]

Sept 27, 2024 13:40:49 GMT The Bishop said:

Lancaster in particular would be a bit of a surprise if Labour held it, but I would just note the recent Green results in council byelections haven't been great either.

I agree with that quite honestly. Stoke Newington was the only one. The Lancaster seat should be gained.

[phil156]

They are all counting on the night

[John Chanin]

medium.com/britainelects/previewing-the-four-council-by-elections-of-3rd-october-2024-2997d23037d6