"It's more than 60 years since a Labour government lost a by-election within a year of winning office in a general election.
The party lost Leyton in 1965 when Foreign Secretary Patrick Gordon Walker was parachuted into the "safe seat", following the elevation of sitting MP Reginald Sorensen to the Lords.
The plan backfired when Tory candidate Ronald Buxton won the seat, pipping Gordon Walker by just over 200 votes."
"It's more than 60 years since a Labour government lost a by-election within a year of winning office in a general election.
The party lost Leyton in 1965 when Foreign Secretary Patrick Gordon Walker was parachuted into the "safe seat", following the elevation of sitting MP Reginald Sorensen to the Lords.
The plan backfired when Tory candidate Ronald Buxton won the seat, pipping Gordon Walker by just over 200 votes."
Currently Reform have 3 county councillors, the Tories 1 and Labour and the LDs and Greens 0.
Only county council results fully coming in overnight though from Northumberland which won't be finished until 7am according to the newspaper estimates
Campaigners have questioned Health Secretary Wes Streeting's commitment to maternity safety after his department watered down funding levels.
Almost £100m was invested into improving maternity safety annually following the publication of an interim report into poor care at the Shrewsbury and Telford NHS trust. But changes by the Department of Health mean that just £2m of the funding is guaranteed to be spent on maternity care this year.
This seems like the changes for counselling for adopted kids, tiny amounts of money in the grand scheme of things, but things that the public highly value.
Reform cutting a swathe through Northumberland. As predicted by me and @Gallowgate. Three out of the first five. One each for Lab and Tories.
All in the Reform friendly urban SE, mind. Labour held on by six votes in Ashington Central. That is without a Green who came second with 27% last time.
I'd guess this is a personal vote for a popular councillor.
I am pretty sure that (or a neighbouring ward) was the most Tory ward in the country at one point. Something like 90%+ owner occupier.
Didn't it use to be a Labour area a few decades ago? I don't know this part of the country very well.
Cramlington was a mining village. It was Labour but had a population of around 3k. That's Cramlington Village. The other 27 000 is owner occupied new build new town commuter sprawl. Very soulless. Most interesting place is the hospital. The only reason anyone goes.
I'd guess this is a personal vote for a popular councillor.
I am pretty sure that (or a neighbouring ward) was the most Tory ward in the country at one point. Something like 90%+ owner occupier.
Didn't it use to be a Labour area a few decades ago? I don't know this part of the country very well.
Cramlington is a new town made up almost entirely of suburbia new build estates built within the last 30 years. Traditionally Labour yes but Tories done very well in recent years.
It was actually Cramlington North I was thinking of. The Tory candidate got 90% in 2017.
"Two Green Party agents, watching ballots come in from the Lib Dem stronghold of Bath & North East Somerset, said: “There is a lot of Green and Labour and Reform are consistently surprising us in every ward, there was one box where Reform won it and we didn’t expect them to win any here. The Lib Dems don’t seem to be anywhere in the picture, coming fourth or fifth in the boxes we’re seeing, and the Conservative vote has collapsed.”
"It's more than 60 years since a Labour government lost a by-election within a year of winning office in a general election.
The party lost Leyton in 1965 when Foreign Secretary Patrick Gordon Walker was parachuted into the "safe seat", following the elevation of sitting MP Reginald Sorensen to the Lords.
The plan backfired when Tory candidate Ronald Buxton won the seat, pipping Gordon Walker by just over 200 votes."
I think Peter Bottomley gained Woolwich, in 1975.
Yes, and there was two such losses within a year of the 1966 election. Gwynfor Evans gained Carmarthen in July 1966 and then Esmond Wright gained Glasgow Pollok in March 1967.
I'd guess this is a personal vote for a popular councillor.
I am pretty sure that (or a neighbouring ward) was the most Tory ward in the country at one point. Something like 90%+ owner occupier.
Didn't it use to be a Labour area a few decades ago? I don't know this part of the country very well.
Cramlington was a mining village. It was Labour but had a population of around 3k. That's Cramlington Village. The other 27 000 is owner occupied new build new town commuter sprawl. Very soulless. Most interesting place is the hospital. The only reason anyone goes.
There’s a nice Indian restaurant in the Sainsburys car park
I'd guess this is a personal vote for a popular councillor.
I am pretty sure that (or a neighbouring ward) was the most Tory ward in the country at one point. Something like 90%+ owner occupier.
Didn't it use to be a Labour area a few decades ago? I don't know this part of the country very well.
Cramlington was a mining village. It was Labour but had a population of around 3k. That's Cramlington Village. The other 27 000 is owner occupied new build new town commuter sprawl. Very soulless. Most interesting place is the hospital. The only reason anyone goes.
There’s a nice Indian restaurant in the Sainsburys car park
I'd guess this is a personal vote for a popular councillor.
I am pretty sure that (or a neighbouring ward) was the most Tory ward in the country at one point. Something like 90%+ owner occupier.
Didn't it use to be a Labour area a few decades ago? I don't know this part of the country very well.
Cramlington is a new town made up almost entirely of suburbia new build estates built within the last 30 years. Traditionally Labour yes but Tories done very well in recent years.
It was actually Cramlington North I was thinking of. The Tory candidate got 90% in 2017.
I'd guess this is a personal vote for a popular councillor.
I am pretty sure that (or a neighbouring ward) was the most Tory ward in the country at one point. Something like 90%+ owner occupier.
Didn't it use to be a Labour area a few decades ago? I don't know this part of the country very well.
Cramlington is a new town made up almost entirely of suburbia new build estates built within the last 30 years. Traditionally Labour yes but Tories done very well in recent years.
It was actually Cramlington North I was thinking of. The Tory candidate got 90% in 2017.
I'd guess this is a personal vote for a popular councillor.
I am pretty sure that (or a neighbouring ward) was the most Tory ward in the country at one point. Something like 90%+ owner occupier.
Didn't it use to be a Labour area a few decades ago? I don't know this part of the country very well.
Cramlington was a mining village. It was Labour but had a population of around 3k. That's Cramlington Village. The other 27 000 is owner occupied new build new town commuter sprawl. Very soulless. Most interesting place is the hospital. The only reason anyone goes.
There’s a nice Indian restaurant in the Sainsburys car park
Instead of carping from the sidelines they can put their cost cutting plans into action and then can be judged accordingly.
I second that. It will also be interesting to see how many future local by-elections are caused by some of the newly elected Reform councillors tonight.
Denmark, Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal and Spain who is resident in the UK, has permission to enter or stay in the UK, Channel Islands or Isle of Man, or who does not need permission
Any other EU country who on or before 31 December 2020 was legally resident in the UK, had permission to enter or stay in the UK, Channel Islands or Isle of Man, or who did not need permission, and this has continued without a break"
Didn't know we'd done some per-country deals on voting rights for post-brexit new immigrants.
BBC: Labour think it might be a bit closer in Runcorn.
Have they been drinking ? A high turnout must surely favour Reform unless there’s been some sudden stop Reform tactical voting .
The closer turnout is to what gave them the huge result last time, less of last years Labour voters have sat on their hands.
Although results presented implying switchers by showing swings, stay at home previous and future supporters are there in numbers across all these results. Particularly Conservatives.
Will be largest Party I reckon. The 4th different largest Party since unitary status in 2009. Another reason I'm glad I'm no longer employed by them tbh.
Farage is going to be all over the media this weekend celebrating his success and a salutary lesson to those who predicted Reform were finished
Amazing really in view of his connection with Trump and and is a huge thumbs down to Starmer, Reeves and labour
To be honest, Reform really would have been finished if they had not mopped up in these local elections less than a year after the Conservatives suffered a brutal GE defeat after 14 years in power and after this new Labour Government had about the worst first year with no honeymoon because of their disasterous budget after spinning the state of UK economy into the ground. No new protest party worth their salt would have wasted this opportunity to run a campaign based on 'a plague o' both your houses' after the perfect storm of the last year.
Dan Jarvis was tonight disingenuously trying to claim that the big losers tonight were the Conservatives and not the new incoming Labour Government because they should have been winning seats not Reform. He obviously was not around in the early years of the last Blair Government following the last huge Conservative defeat in 1997. The Conservatives continued to do badly in local elections and Westminster by-elections in the early Blair years, but back then it was usually the Libdems as the third party who would pick up the protest vote.
BBC Lucy from Doncaster is an example of what sadly is a dying breed - local pol reporter, totally on her brief, completely aware of her brief and gives the facts.
Comments
"It's more than 60 years since a Labour government lost a by-election within a year of winning office in a general election.
The party lost Leyton in 1965 when Foreign Secretary Patrick Gordon Walker was parachuted into the "safe seat", following the elevation of sitting MP Reginald Sorensen to the Lords.
The plan backfired when Tory candidate Ronald Buxton won the seat, pipping Gordon Walker by just over 200 votes."
Do any the parties have some actual human communicators available???
Is this how modern politics is?
Ockendon (Thurrock) council election result:
REF: 49.8% (+49.8)
CON: 21.9% (-33.3)
LAB: 19.6% (-13.8)
GRN: 3.8% (+3.8)
LDEM: 3.0% (+3.0)
IND: 1.9% (+1.9)
Reform GAIN from Conservative.
https://x.com/BritainElects/status/1918086513197252851
46.3% turnout down from 58.7 in 24
Ref pick up 2 more in Northumberland
Cramlington South East (Northumberland) council election result:
CON: 53.8%
LAB: 23.3%
REF: 18.8%
GRN: 4.1%
Conservative HOLD.
https://x.com/BritainElects/status/1918087604781674590
Three out of the first five. One each for Lab and Tories.
Only county council results fully coming in overnight though from Northumberland which won't be finished until 7am according to the newspaper estimates
Northumberland is technically a Unitary.
Almost £100m was invested into improving maternity safety annually following the publication of an interim report into poor care at the Shrewsbury and Telford NHS trust. But changes by the Department of Health mean that just £2m of the funding is guaranteed to be spent on maternity care this year.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cwynqx77dn5o
This seems like the changes for counselling for adopted kids, tiny amounts of money in the grand scheme of things, but things that the public highly value.
Amazing really in view of his connection with Trump and and is a huge thumbs down to Starmer, Reeves and labour
Labour held on by six votes in Ashington Central.
That is without a Green who came second with 27% last time.
https://x.com/BritainElects/status/1918089260214763565?t=AGbsPMRQzYZ0FTXpxMQbWw&s=19
GRN: 48.3% (+9.9)
LAB: 39.7% (-11.0)
CON: 5.0% (-0.3)
REF: 3.7% (+3.7)
LDEM: 3.3% (-2.2)
Green GAIN from Labour.
https://x.com/BritainElects/status/1918084674775117909
https://x.com/Osint613/status/1918007228277104684
ISIS in blazers at it again.
Telling reform twat that getting rid of a few diversity officers will not save local government.
The other 27 000 is owner occupied new build new town commuter sprawl.
Very soulless. Most interesting place is the hospital. The only reason anyone goes.
It was actually Cramlington North I was thinking of. The Tory candidate got 90% in 2017.
https://www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/article/local-elections-results-2025-latest-news-live-837xp9bf9
Trump has barely begun his fuck up for the US and world economy.
Instead of carping from the sidelines they can put their cost cutting plans into action and then can be judged accordingly.
Well - you are in government, fucking do something.
https://x.com/BritainElects/status/1918088538727305699
@GBPolitcs
🚨NEW: Ockendon (Thurrock) Council Election Result:
REF: 49.8% (+49.8)
CON: 21.9% (-33.3)
LAB: 19.6% (-13.8)
GRN: 3.8% (+3.8)
LDEM: 3.0% (+3.0)
IND: 1.9% (+1.9)
Reform GAIN from Conservative.
Changes w/ 2024."
https://x.com/GBPolitcs/status/1918086897428996453
https://x.com/ElectionMapsUK/status/1918094940464206292?t=cdDC7g5ozmKNeuzcsjx4eA&s=19
Came third of three.
"Yeah mate, I mean if you really listen to what Nigel is saying then it makes a lot of sense."
"@BritainElects
Glen Parva (Blaby) council election result:
REF: 43.2% (+43.2)
LDEM: 34.8% (-20.9)
CON: 11.0% (-11.8)
LAB: 5.8% (+5.8)
GRN: 5.3% (+5.3)
Reform GAIN from Liberal Democrat."
https://x.com/BritainElects/status/1918095861722005692
*removed drunken paragraph that made no sense and sounded very weird*
https://www.blaby.gov.uk/elections-and-voting/elections/district-and-parish-by-elections-on-1-may-2025/
Denmark, Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal and Spain who is resident in the UK, has permission to enter or stay in the UK, Channel Islands or Isle of Man, or who does not need permission
Any other EU country who on or before 31 December 2020 was legally resident in the UK, had permission to enter or stay in the UK, Channel Islands or Isle of Man, or who did not need permission, and this has continued without a break"
Didn't know we'd done some per-country deals on voting rights for post-brexit new immigrants.
Although results presented implying switchers by showing swings, stay at home previous and future supporters are there in numbers across all these results. Particularly Conservatives.
The 4th different largest Party since unitary status in 2009.
Another reason I'm glad I'm no longer employed by them tbh.
DYOR
Dan Jarvis was tonight disingenuously trying to claim that the big losers tonight were the Conservatives and not the new incoming Labour Government because they should have been winning seats not Reform. He obviously was not around in the early years of the last Blair Government following the last huge Conservative defeat in 1997. The Conservatives continued to do badly in local elections and Westminster by-elections in the early Blair years, but back then it was usually the Libdems as the third party who would pick up the protest vote.
Vincent would be proud.
It’s Howling Laud Hope of the Monster Raving Loony Party.
Curborough (Lichfield) council election result:
REF: 38.5% (+38.5)
CON: 23.2% (-12.1)
LAB: 21.9% (-42.7)
GRN: 9.3% (+9.3)
LDEM: 7.1% (+7.1)
Reform GAIN from Labour.
Pyle, Kenfig Hill and Cefn Cribwr is a Reform gain
Ref 697
Lab 667
Ind 351
PC 154
Con 55
Green 54
Pyle, Kenfig Hill and Cefn Cribwr Kenfig Hill is a village in Bridgend County Borough, South Wales.