MAY 5, 2023
By Harry Mottram: There has been a sea change in the politics of Bath and North East Somerset as the Conservatives saw their representation collapse to just three councillors on the May 3rd local elections. The main gainers from their demise are the incumbent Liberal Democrat administration who added three extra wards to give them 41 councillors (with Paulton still to vote) and the Labour Party who become the opposition with five councillors. The other gainers were the Greens who are up to three councillors while the Independents held up with Bath’s June Player and Colin Blackburn comfortable winners in Westmoreland.
The questions facing the Conservatives now are why have voters turned away from them when in 2015 they had 37 councillors. Nationally the Rishi Sunak led administration is behind in the opinion polls to Kier Starmer’s Labour Party which is mainly due to the Cost of Living Crisis with high energy prices, inflation in double digits, the Brexit Trade Deal that has harmed business and the economy and wages falling behind the rise in inflation leading to widespread strikes. That only covers part of the story as many people vote differently in local as compared to general elections but the BANES’ figures show Labour’s share of the vote increased.
In Bath the Conservatives have been critical of the Lib Dems’ changes to the streets and roads of the city such as the Ring of Steel in a bid to improve conditions for cycling and walking, to cut pollution and to cut down on rat runs. Despite their campaign it didn’t cut through to voters – suggesting those policies have had the thumbs up from many residents rather than a vote loser.
If you listen to some commentators, fed up Tories who are dismayed by the Government’s recent record with the economy are voting Green in protest – rather than voting Labour. This may be in part true but there is clearly an appetite for the Green Party’s policies of caring for the environment, improving public transport and boosting the use of renewable energy sources – especially amongst younger voters.
And across the UK Independent candidates have traditionally done well in local elections compared to general elections – and in Bath June Player and Colin Blackburn have been re-elected without the help of a party machine – but have won on the strength of their local commitment to their community and their good standing locally.
Looking ahead to the General Election which is expected to take place in October 2024, although could be as early as May next year or as late as January 2025, it is foolish to predict the outcome as so much can change. As mentioned, people often vote differently in the two types of election. However the received wisdom is that the Conservatives could lose the keys to 10 Downing Street if the pincer movement of the Lib Dems taking Tory seats in the south and Labour taking them in the North and the Midlands is successful – then Kier Starmer could be the next prime minister – but possibly not with a overall majority. In Bath the election omens are good for MP Wera Hobhouse for the Liberal Democrats – while in North East Somerset it looks bleak for Conservative MP Jacob Rees-Mogg. Yes, there appears to be a sea change in politics as happened in 1945, 1980, 1997 and 2010 – whether that change continues next year remains to be seen.
Nationally it depends on whether the current Government can improve the economy and cut inflation ending the Cost of Living Crisis. The next General Election will also be decided by Labour convincing enough former Conservatives to vote for them in the Midlands and the North – and if they can make inroads into the SNP vote in Scotland. So many variables – and so much for commentators to chew over in the coming months.
The photo is by the BBC and showsthe MP Wera Hobhouse with the Lib Dem leader of the council Kevin Guy.
Here are more results which saw the Liberal Democrats win the council with thanks to John Wimperis, Local Democracy Reporter
Weston — Lib Dem HOLD
Anthony Stuart Dobson (GRN) 219
Martin Reynold Roberto Grixoni (CON) 644
Ruth Madeline Malloy (LD) 1,127
Elaeth Samuel Myers-McCraw (LAB) 162
John Neville (GRN) 152
Graham Martin Pristo (CON) 698
Malcolm John Treby (LD) 959
Julie Ann Williams (LAB) 168
Turnout 48.28%
Saltford — Lib Dem HOLD
Andy Busby (CON) 548
John William Christian (GRN) 135
Helen Irene Crew (CON) 371
Duncan Stuart Hounsell (LD) 1,058
Joan Liley (LAB) 211
Alison Lisa Streatfeild-James (LD) 676
Leon Charles Telford (LAB) 156
Emily Unsworthy-White (GRN) 177
Christopher John Warren (IND) 634
Turnout 44.61%
Chew Valley — Lib Dem GAIN
Anna Victoria Box (LD) 1,104
Richard Peter Evershed (LAB) 168
Dave Harding (LD) 1,104
Guy Adrian Norfolk (GRN) 146
Victor Lewis Pritchard (CON) 694
Isobel Russell (GRN) 151
Jonathan Samuel Wallcroft (LAB) 104
Karen Ruth Warrington (CON) 576
Turnout 44.65%
Keynsham East — Lib Dem HOLD
Jo Davis (CON) 548
Derek Stephen Hart (LAB) 179
Rachel Eileen King (LAB) 185
Hal McFie (LD) 1,143
George Amanda Joy Morgan (CON) 548
Jennifer Peters (GRN) 166
Jo Taylor (GRN) 108
Andy Wait (LD) 1,191
Turnout 43.94%
Walcot — Lib Dem HOLD
Hannah Ruth Downey (CON) 299
Oli Henman (LD) 699
Dhruv Sachin Kadum (LAB) 431
Stuart Lawrence Kay (CON) 293
John Leach (LD) 571
Ben Mulhearn (GRN) 450
Paul Tom Edward Tucker (LAB) 456
Ross Turmel (GRN) 289
Turnout 42.36%
Widcombe & Lyncombe — Lib Dem HOLD
Lyn Barham (GRN) 387
Alison Patricia Sian Born (LD) 1,463
Priya Chathley (CON) 503
Deborah Joan Collins (LD) 1,288
Charlotte Goodfellow Foster (LAB) 197
Louisa Sarah McFarland (CON) 557
Christina Joan Ryan (LAB) 176
Ruth Shaw (GRN) 299
Turnout 50.50%
Keynsham North — Lib Dem GAIN
Alex Paul Beaumont (LD) 914
Edmund Stuart Cannon (GRN) 185
Christopger Jeffery Davis (LAB) 315
Justin Nigel Edwards (GRN) 147
Kai-Ashley Sean Vivian Fletcher (LAB) 234
George Leach (LD) 697
Brian Simmons (CON) 470
Allan Melville Sinclair (CON) 401
Turnout 34.82%
Combe Down — Lib Dem HOLD
Amy Alsop (GRN) 328
David Andrews (GRN) 164
Tom Battersby (LAB) 158
Bob Goodman (CON) 754
Steve Merrifield (CON) 672
Bharat Ramji Nathoo Pankhania (LD) 1,254
Onkar Saini (LD) 1,154
Marie Louise Youngman (LAB) 149
Turnout 46.15%
Odd Down — Lib Dem HOLD
Kathy Anne Beadle (GRN) 266
Jasper Becker (CON) 367
Michael James Clarkson (CON) 352
Mary Patricia Flitton (LAB) 196
Steve Hedges (LD) 1,000
Joel Edwin Hirst (LD) 989
Ellie Maher (GRN) 194
Liz Vincent (LAB) 193
Turnout 35.68%
Radstock — Labour HOLD & GAIN
Rupert Stephen Jude Bevan (CON) 237
Christopher John Dando (LAB) 527
Shaun Anthony goodwin (CON) 188
Liam Michael Kirby (GRN) 214
Lesley Ann Michael (LAB) 442
Hermionie Rose Peace (LD) 226
Bruce Andrew Shearn (LD) 330
Dom Tristram (GRN) 218
Turnout 28.12%
Midsomer Norton Redfield — Conservative HOLD
Sharon Grace Ball (LD) 134
Sarah Elizabeth Evans (CON) 518
Chris Griffiths (IND) 79
Claire Veronica Jackson (LD) 140
Annette Anox-Fraser (GRN) 85
Gordon Charles McKay (IND) 202
Anne Priest (LAB) 262
Pat Roscow (GRN) 72
Richard James Stelling (LAB) 324
Martin John Thatcher (IND) 274
Tim Warren (CON) 409
Turnout 26.54%
Bathavon South — Lib Dem HOLD
John Anthony Bull (LAB) 127
Anne Coghlan (GRN) 211
Chris Davies (CON) 567
Fiona Grace Gourley (LD) 1,039
Peter Gordon Hunt (CON) 535
Matt McCabe (LD) 1,028
Delyth Morris (LAB) 111
Martin Phillips (GRN) 179
Turnout 46.53%
Lambridge — Green HOLD & GAIN
Rob Appleyard (LD) 683
Paula Joan Black (LAB) 301
Steve Casemore (LAB) 275
David Michael Ferris (CON) 398
Saskia Heijtjes (GRN) 921
Alex Saunders (LD) 467
Paul Anthony Toombs (CON) 337
Joanna Wright (GRN) 1,120
Turnout 52.99%
Keynsham South — Labour GAIN & Conservative HOLD
Souzan Ibrahim Abdelnabi Alenshasy (LD) 172
David William Biddleston (LAB) 666
Daniel Patrick Condick (CON) 464
Olivia Ellen Copley (LAB) 520
Erica Mary Davies (GRN) 269
Alan Keith Greenfield (LD) 254
Alan Dudley Hale (CON) 668
Steve Murray (GRN) 160
Westmoreland — Independent HOLD
Nick Batt (GRN) 225
Colin David Blackburn (IND) 539
Stephanie Boxall (GRN) 165
Katherine Frances Hall (LD) 240
Cate Lewis (LAB) 119
Andrew Edwin Charles Pattie (CON) 99
June Player (IND) 839
Sasmita Rajhansha (LD) 309
Rebecca Ruth Simmons (LAB) 132
Lindsay Sally Whitmore (CON) 102
Turnout 40.76%
Bathwick — Lib Dem HOLD & GAIN
Lesley Kathleen Bees (LAB) 224
Michael Coffey (GRN) 347
Yukteshwar Kumar (CON) 712
Mark Patrick Mac Donnell (CON) 674
Kodi Damien Sean McBride (LAB) 227
Manda Rigby (LD) 1,304
Toby Simon (LD) 1,023
Katherine Snook (GRN) 251
Turnout 51.23%
Southdown — Lib Dem HOLD
Alex Avard (GRN) 213
David Andrew Blatchford (CON) 209
Paul Nigel Crossley (LD) 649
Lyn Jacobs (CON) 149
Ashley James Lewis (LAB) 187
Lisa Loveridge (GRN) 196
David William Musgrave (LAB) 228
Mark Ian Reynolds (IND) 543
Dine Romero (LD) 682
Paul Andrew Wakenshaw (IND) 480
Peasedown — Independent HOLD
Fiona Marie Carr (LAB) 343
Tex Clarke (LD) 95
Matt Cooper (GRN) 105
Julie Ann Goodwin (CON) 219
Gavin John Heathcote (IND) 504
David Konig (GRN) 97
Ray Love (LD) 126
Jonathan Paul Rich (LAB) 430
Karen Florence Walker (IND) 615
Turnout 29.44%
Westfield — Labour HOLD
Margaret Rose Brewer (CON) 207
Michael Evans (CON) 230
James Froud (GRN) 114
Eleanor Margaret Jackson (LAB) 579
Kiran Rupa Kataria (LD) 110
Olivia Leydenfrost (LD) 134
Robin Moss (LAB) 572
Florence Okowa (GRN) 100
Turnout 22.16%
Bathavon North — Lib Dem HOLD
Vicky Linda Drew (LAB) 245
Eleanor Field (GRN) 296
Leila Froud (GRN) 269
Kevin Ronald Guy (LD) 1,350
Peter Graham Sandell David (CON) 681
Dick Smith (LAB) 204
Martin John Beresford Veal (CON) 671
Elizabeth Sarah Warren (LD) 1,460
Turnout 48.56%
Newbridge — Lib Dem HOLD
Roger David Chapman (LAB) 257
Mattia Cuberli (CON) 466
Kelsey Hoppe (GRN) 250
Samantha Jane Kelly (LD) 895
Michelle Anne O’Doherty (LD) 1,048
Pam Richards (LAB) 282
Mohamed Sharaf (GRN) 170
David Miller Workman (CON) 469
Turnout 43.65%
Lansdown — Lib Dem HOLD
Justin Lawrence Draeger (CON) 712
Mark William Elliott (LD) 917
Lucy Jane Hodge (LD) 1023
John Stuart McStravick (LAB) 122
Susan Elizabeth Milner (LAB) 164
Tom Pateman (GRN) 174
Manuel Emilio Pimentel Reid (CON) 667
Grace Wiltshire (GRN) 219
Turnout 44.83%
Also
Clutton & Farmborough — Sam Ross (Green)
Oldfield Park — Ian Halsall (Lib Dem)
High Littleton — Ann Margaret Morgan (Lib Dem)
Moorlands — Jess David (Lib Dem)
Timsbury — Shaun Andrew Stephenson-McGall (Lib Dem)
Publow & Whitchurch — Paul May (Lib Dem)
Mendip — David Wood (Lib Dem)
Midsomer Norton North — Shaun Hughes (Independent) and Michael Colin Douglas Auton (Lib Dem)
Twerton — Tim Ball (Lib Dem) and Sarah Jane Moore (Lib Dem)
Kingsmead — Paul Roper (Lib Dem) and George Oliver Tomlin (Lib Dem)
Bath Voice Monthly Newspaper is distributed free to thousands of homes and some supermarkets – distributed from the first of the month. Harry Mottram is the News Editor
Email him at news@bathvoice.co.uk
Bath website: https://bathvoice.co.uk/news/
Bath Facebook: https://tinyurl.com/bdtf2kep
Also on Twitter: https://twitter.com/bath_voice
Read the newspaper online at :https://issuu.com/bathvoice
To advertise to thousands of Bathonians call Erica on 07402 441485 or email her on erica@bathvoice.co.uk
Harry Mottram is a freelance journalist. Follow him on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube etc
Email:harryfmottram@gmail.com
Website:www.harrymottram.co.uk
Mobile: 07789 864769