Labour 7,858 votes (30% -4% on last time) winning 3 seats (-2 seats on last time)
Liberal Democrats 6,854 votes (26% +10% on last time) winning 2 seats (+1 seat on last time)
Conservatives 6,267 votes (24% -1% on last time) winning 3 seats (unchanged on last time)
Plaid Cymru 831 votes (3% +1% on last time) winning 1 seat (+1 seat on last time)
Green Party 691 votes (3% -1% on last time) winning 0 seats (unchanged on last time)
Local Independents 668 votes (3% unchanged on last time) winning 0 seats (-1 on last time)
Independents 464 votes (2% -2% on last time) winning 0 seats (unchanged on last time)
United Kingdom Independence Party 301 votes (1% +1% on last time) winning 0 seats (unchanged on last time)
Other Parties 2,214 votes (8% -5% on last time) winning 1 seat (+1 seat on last time)

GAINS
Others GAIN Shadwell on Tower Hamlets from Lab
Lab GAIN Totteridge and Bowerdean on Buckinghamshire from Local Independents
Lib Dem GAIN Bolton and Undercliffe on Bradford from Lab
Plaid Cymru GAIN Ely on Cardiff from Lab

Commentary
Well, no need to explain that one is there? In a month when a grand total of ten Labour MP’s either resigned from or were suspended from the party, of course Labour were going to be down on the month, but this is also the month that might give us a clue as to people’s expectations about Brexit. The Lib Dems up 10% (as they have been every month since the general election in June 2017) suggest that people are rejecting Brexit, but if so then how does that account for UKIP going up for the first time since that general election. My opinion is that those who believe that Brexit is the be all and end all in British politics are going to their natural homes. Those who wish to see Brexit cancelled are voting Liberal Democrat and those who wish to see it continue are voting Con (for a soft Brexit) and UKIP (for a hard Brexit) leaving Labour on a hiding to nowhere. If this trend continues in the local by-elections in March, could we see in the local elections in May such a Conservative triumph that, following her statement in December, the PM resigns having “delivered Brexit as promised”, a new Conservative leader is installed who states “I was never elected as PM, therefore I am triggering a general election motion forcing Labour to decide on it’s European policy and getting elected with a majority for the first time since 2015. Who knows, all I do know is that March will be just as interesting as February was.

Harry Hayfield