Labour is emerging as the biggest winner from the elections to council seats around the country. The headlines are about UKIP, which has won seats on some councils for the first time. But the figures show Labour posting more gains. And in the councils that have reported results so far, Labour has ten times as many seats as UKIP.
Labour’s gains have come in target seats that we need to win in the next general election. Labour has won control of the London boroughs of Hammersmith and Fulham, Coydon and Redbridge. We also now control Cambridge council. And Labour topped the poll in key targets like Peterborough and Lincoln. In Hastings, the Labour group is our biggest ever.
Labour’s candidate in Bridgwater and West Somerset, Cllr Mick Lerry said, “We’ve seen real progress in the key target seats we need to win in order to form the next government in 2015. We all know that people feel left out of the economy and ignored by politicians, so it’s not a surprise that UKIP have also had a strong showing.
“The way to deal with UKIP is not exploiting fears or making promises you can’t keep, but offering real policies to help families deal with the cost-of-living crisis
Labour’s campaign has set out plans to:
- Give renting families more security and stopping them being ripped off.
- Ban exploitative zero hour contracts.
- Guarantee GP access.
- Raise the minimum wage
“The strength of support for UKIP isn’t simply about Europe. It’s about the frustrations that people feel about an economy that doesn’t work for them with stagnant wages. That’s why Ed Miliband has spent this campaign setting out concrete action the next Labour government will take to turn things around for hardworking people.”
Please note that Labour made 4 net gains on Bristol City Council where it now holds 33 out of 75 seats two further gains strenthening its position on Exeter City Council where it now holds 27 of 40 seats and held onto control of Plymouth City Council after a strong UKIP challenge and made 3 gains on Stroud District Council increasing its seats to 20. There is now a strong line of red running down the M5 and A38 starting from Stroud taking in Bristol; Bridgwater; Exeter and Plymouth!