Council by-elections: Labour holds seats in London and north-east

Labour has held two council seats including one in the north east heartland borough where it suffered a shock defeat last year.

Jeremy Corbyn’s party retained wards in Enfield in by-elections in London and in Stockton. It was in the latter town that the Tories won a shock victory last year.

Last night, however, Labour won in Newton in Stockton and Enfield Lock in Enfield.

In the north east London seat, Labour’s vote rose 12.7 percentage points, as the Tory vote share also grew 13.3 points. Labour took the vast majority of the vote, 64 per cent, with the Tories on 29 per cent, the Greens third on 3 per cent, a drop of 6.4 points, UKIP plunged to fourth. and the Lib Dems were fifth.

The other ward up for grabs in Stockton, has not yet published its full vote share results. All results have come via Britain Elects.

The votes came after Labour’s rating was boosted in two polls released yesterday. One showed an eight point increase in Westminster voting intention for Labour, but with the Tory lead remaining substantial at 15 points. Another indicated a two point rise for Labour, to 32 per cent, with the Tories on 45 per cent. 

Enfield Lock (Enfield) result:
Labour hold
Labour: 63.8 per cent (+12.7)
Conservative: 28.8 per cent (+13.3)
Green: 3.1 per cent (-6.4)
UKIP: 2.7 per cent (-15.0)
Liberal Democrat: 1.6 per cent (+1.6)

Newtown, Stockton on Tees result:
Labour hold
Labour: 52.5 per cent (-3.6)
Conservative: 21.8 per cent (+4.6)
Independent: 21.0 per cent (+21.0)
Liberal Democrat: 4.7 per cent (+4.7)
No UKIP candidate, unlike last time.