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ELECTION RESULTS
This week's elections saw large gains for the Conservatives and their best local government showing since 1980. Conservatives won 44% of the national votes compared to 24% for Labour and 25% for the Lib Dems. This is Labour's worst local election result for 40 years and the Lib Dems did worse than a year ago, despite getting rid of Menzies Campbell as their leader.
Conservatives gained 252 Council seats and the control of 12 new Councils, including Bury in Manchester, Rossendale in Lancashire, and North Tyneside.
Commenting on the results parliamentary candidate Mark Versallion said "this is a big moment for us and it shows the faith people have in the Conservative Party to bring about the change so many of us want in our hospitals, schools, and communities."
"And with London electing Boris Johnson as Mayor with a comfortable majority it shows people are ready for change - for Conservative policies that will genuinely tackle the real issues in our lives."
"These results are not just a vote against Gordon Brown and out of touch Labour MPs, they are a positive vote of confidence in the Conservatives. People see a party that has changed for the better, that is united, and that has strong leadership" said Councillor Versallion.
BBC News (02May08) said Gordon Brown's Commons majority of 66 Labour MPs would be wiped out. If this result were repeated at a General Election, Labour would lose 169 MPs and the Conservatives would form the next Government with a majority of 127.
In the parliamentary constituency of Stretford and Urmston, if these results were repeated at a General Election, they would produce the following share of the vote:
40.9% Conservative
38.8% Labour
11.6% LibDem
_8.7% Green
... and Mark Versallion as the next Conservative MP with an 840 majority.
ADDENDUM
The 22May08 parliamentary by-election in Crewe and Nantwich saw the Conservative's first by-election gain from Labour since 1982. Overturning a 7,078 Labour majority, Conservative candidate Edward Timpson saw a 17.6% swing from Labour to Conservative with the subsequent vote shares of 50% Conservative, 31% Labour. The Lib Dem share fell to 15%, down from 2005's 19%. Turnout was 58.2%, high for a by-election, but lower than 2005's 60%. The Conservative majority is now 7,860.