Labour Victory as Bridgwater turns the Tory tide

In the face of all the bad news Bridgwater Labour Party scored a sensational victory  by winning 14 out of the 16 Town Council seats with the Tories reduced to 1 and a sole Lib Dem joining them  in opposition.

With 11,742 Labour votes ovewhelming the 8,247 Tory and 1,592 lib Dem votes in the Town the absence of UKIP candidates also made a difference  with Labour regaining votes in wards lost to the kippers at the District election.

A sensational fightback in Dunwear (North Ward) by 25 year old Portuguese worker Diogo Rodrigues saw him beat an equally young Tory , Pele Barnes, by more than 70 votes making him the youngest councillor whilst at 82 the experienced John Turner  who has been on council since the Corn Laws were repealed in the 1840s, retained his seat in Hamp.

New councillors included Moira Brown, winning in Eastover, Siobhan Wilson in Victoria, Liz Leavy in Wyndham and Kath Pearce and Pat Morley triumphing in Westover which brings women’s representation on the council up to a  respectable 31% (well, more respectable than ever before).

Winning by a clear hundred votes in Dunwear South was Leigh Redman, previously nominated as Town Mayor, but awaiting his election to see if he could actually go through with it. Now he can. Which is fortunate seeing as his inauguration is this Friday….

Other experienced councillors getting back on Town include Adrian Moore (Hamp) Dave Loveridge (Eastover) Graham Granter (Fairfax West) and  Alec Glassford (Fairfax East) while Parliamentary candidate Mick Lerry won easily in Victoria and  pin-up boy (in cake shops everywhere) Brian Smedley topped the Poll in Westover (of male candidates).

From the Tory side, Mike Cresswell grabbed a seat in Fairfax East while Lib Dem Gas Man Peter Johnstone took a seat in Wyndham.

So after a few days and nights of abject horror in politics nationally the people of Bridgwater drew a thick red line in the sand and told the Tories exactly where to get off. And so thanks for that everyone!!!!