Tories scoop 'shock' South Ribble by-election win in Labour stronghold
The Conservatives have won a seat on South Ribble Borough Council in a ward that has been Labour dominated for almost a decade.
The party’s candidate, Joan Burrows, raced to victory in Thursday’s by-election in Middleforth. She secured 517 votes and a 46 percent share of the vote, ahead of her Labour opponent, Laura Crawford-Lane, who came second with 362 votes.
The Liberal Democrats and Green Party candidates finished third and fourth, respectively, in a contest where only one in five eligible voters turned out.
The three-member ward has been made up of a trio of Labour councillors since 2015, with the party sweeping the board in three consecutive elections, the most recent being just last year.
Cllr Burrows – who has been a Lancashire county councillor for the wider Penwortham East and Walton-le-Dale division for more than seven years – puts what she admits was her “shock” win down to her local profile and a shift in the mood amongst one group of residents in particular.
She told the Lancashire Post that pensioners were “just so angry” about the Labour government’s decision to remove the winter fuel allowance from all but the poorest amongst them.
“There are people who said they had applied for pension credit [which would entitle them to continue receiving the annual fuel payment] and they were just £5 or so over the threshold – they are frightened and feel let down.
“But also, as part of Middleforth ward is in my county division, I’d like to think people [know] that when they have emailed me, I have answered and even come and knocked on their door – and that those [outside my division] have read my leaflet and thought, ‘It looks like she will work hard’,” Cllr Burrows added.
South Ribble Labour group and council leader Jacky Alty said the outcome was "disappointing" for her party's candidate and the residents she was hoping to serve.
"The result did not reflect the greetings received on the doorstep and I am sad that Laura will not be part of our community minded team of Labour councillors at this time. Laura is a credit to her community whether elected or not," Cllr Alty added.
FULL RESULT
Joan Burrows (Conservative Party) - 517 votes
Laura Crawford-Lane (Labour Party) - 362 votes
Clare Burton-Johnson (Liberal Democrats) - 173 votes
Ann Moorby (Green Party) - 64 votes