Tonght’s Local By-Election Preview by Harry Hayfield

Tonght’s Local By-Election Preview by Harry Hayfield

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Lascelles on Darlington (Lab Defence)

Last Local Election Result (2011): Lab 34, Con 14, Lib Dem 5 (Labour majority of 15)

Result of last election (2011): Lab 1,143 (80%), Con 277 (20%)

Candidates duly nominated: Lewis Cairns (Con), Helen Crumbie (Lab), Howard Jones (Lib Dem)

Darlington (the constituency that Labour won in a by-election just prior to the 1983 general election, only to see it go to the Conservatives at that election), is the sort of area that shows what a problem the Conservatives have in the North of England. At the 1983 general election, there were a total of eight seats in the North (four of them in Northumberland). At the last election, they won four (of which two were in Northumberland). And with the addition of a Lib Dem candidate at this by-election, I think Labour have a good hold on their hands.

Burton on Pembrokeshire (Ind Defence)

Last Local Election Result (2012): Ind 42, Lab 9, Plaid 5, Con 3, Lib Dem 1 (Independent majority of 24)

Result of last election (2004): Ind 620 (84%) Lib Dem 117 (16%)

Candidates duly nominated: Jon Harvey (Ind), Robin Howells (Lab), Rob Summons (Ind), Robin Wilson (Con)

No, that is not a misprint. The last election in Burton ward took place in the 2004 local elections. You see, in western Wales, not only is there a habit of Independents being elected to (and in the case of Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion and Ynys Mon) haing the tiller of power in their hands, but also the habit of no one else wanting to stand against them. Therefore, as this result back in 2004 matched my attempt against an Independent in 2012, it is obvious that an Independent will win (the only question mark being which one?)

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