Times Up in Liverpool Speke-Garston: Lib Dems Found Out and Humiliated in Flagship Liverpool

We looked for the result of yesterday's Speke-Garston by-election on the (Lib Dem) Liverpool Council's website. Nothing doing.

The Liverpool Daily Post showed why. There was a complete meltdown of the Lib Dem vote in this ward. Going from a 700+ majority for the Fibs to a 700+ majority for Labour.

Biblical numbers. Being seen by the Lib Dems as a barometer for the "success" of their post-Storey story! To my eyes Cllr Warren Bradley is a complete lightweight - a bit like a charmless version of dear Simon Ashley in Manchester - and the disgraced Storey is already clawing back his power.

For Labour this was to be a signal over whether they might expect to make a significant breakthrough in May. This now looks almost certain if they put in the work. There is little doubt that Liverpool Labour were in a terrible state as they declined.

But now they are deserving respect and winning back the power.

As Labour group leader Cllr Joe Anderson said: “This by-election was a referendum on Liberal Democrat control in this part of the city, and Speke has spoken with a voice that says ‘we’re sick and tired of being neglected’.”

Cllr Richard Oglethorpe, the Lib-Dem agent, said: “I’m proud of the campaign we fought and obviously disappointed by the result.” Conservatives were beaten into fifth place by candidates from both the Green and the far-right British National Party though they did hold off UKIP. By FIVE VOTES.

Colin Strickland (Lab) 1,984; Lynnie Williams (Lib Dem) 1,218; Steven Greenhalgh (BNP) 281; Cherry Fitzsimmons (Green) 68; Brenda Coppell (Cons) 54; and Mark Bill (UKIP) 49.