Updated: Council by-elections: Labour vote rises as Tories lose seats to Lib Dems

Labour’s share of the vote increased in the latest round of council by-elections as the Tories let go of three seats around the country.

As Theresa May’s cabinet was beset by allegations of sexual misconduct, her party lost wards in Sefton in Merseyside, Arun in west Sussex and North Devon.

The Tories held two wards in their stronghold of Beaconsfield, where the death of a council prompted vacancies on both the county and borough authorities.

Labour held off the Tory challenge in Egremonth South in Copeland.

Duke’s (Sefton) result:

Lib Dem gain from Conservative

Lib Dem: 56.0 per cent (+28.4)

Conservatives: 26.3 per cent (-9.4)

Labour: 13.9 per cent (-2.3)

UKIP: 2.3 per cent (-13.5)

Greens: 1.5 per cent (-3.1)

Egremont South (Copeland)

Labour hold

Labour: 52.4 per cent (+15.7)

Conservative: 47.6 per cent (+26.8)

No independent candidates as previously.

Aldwick West (Arun) result:

Lib Dem gain from Conservative

Lib Dem: 52.7 per cent (+34.2)

Conservative: 35.2 per cent (-16.7)

Labour: 8.2 per cent (+8.2)

Greens: 4.0 per cent (+4.0)

Braunton East (North Devon) 

Lib Dem gain from Conservative

Full result not yet available.

Beaconsfield (Buckinghamshire county)

Conservative hold

Conservative: 81.3 per cent (+6.5)

Lib Dems: 18.7 per cent (+1.4)

Beaconsfield North (South Buckinghamshire)

Conservative hold

Conservative: 76.4 per cent (-9.7)

Lib Dems: 23.6 per cent (+23.6)