There were three principal council by-elections this week, and one reported contest out in the towns. Labour held both of the seats they were defending; putting 17% on their previous tally in the Kentish Town ward in Camden, and a marginal increase in East Kilbride West in South Lanarkshire. In both seats, the Liberal Democrat vote held up better than current polling would indicate and we continue to track around 5% above our national opinion poll average when it comes to real elections.
Our featured story this week is the successful defence of the Springbank ward on Cheltenham Borough Council, where nearly seven out of ten voters backed Cheltenham Lib Dems’ Chris Coleman. With a history of regular Focus and street letters, Chris’ previous experience as a borough councillor, and a large store of public goodwill based on the association of the party with the popular Springbank Community Resource Centre, Springbank had all the makings of a successful campaign. This was delivered, with help from across the town and as far afield as Gloucestershire and Bath, and phone canvassing from the Western Counties phone bank. The campaign saw three Focus leaflets, including an excellent colour A3 folded down to A4 with a ward-map detailing Lib Dem achievements as the centre page. This worked particularly well as a counter to the Labour charge that the party had done nothing for the ward, which, in a feat of strategic brilliance, they decided to put out after our Focus had already landed! An M.P.’s endorsement, cream letter, and hand-addressed postal vote knock-up rounded out the pre-polling day literature. The Focus team used local knowledge and previous canvass experience to stagger their election day knock-ups according to who they knew would be in at different times of the day. Combined with telephone knock-up and full telling cover, the polling day operation was well-run and bore fruit. When asked what lessons had been learned from the day, Councillor Chris Coleman commented ‘that traditional ALDC-style campaigning still works, and the other parties still don’t have an answer’. A sentiment with which this unbiased observer couldn’t agree more!
Out in the towns, Labour held on to their seat on Great Aycliffe Town Council. There will a total of seven principal by-election contests to report on next week, including on South Lakeland and Manchester MBC. The very best of luck to our candidates and campaigners across the country.
Craig Whittall
craig.whittall@aldc.org