A sensational Labour victory in the Shepton Mallet West By-election this week gives a boost to the Somerset County Campaign and shows that Labour are genuine contenders. Labour took 2 seats in the By-Election with the Tory vote dropping by 30% and Labour up by 25%. The Lib Dems didn’t even dare to stand.
Victorious Labour candidates were County veteran John Gilham and May candidate for the Mendip South division Deborah Towner winning 294 & 281 votes to the Tory candidates 240 & 231- a drop of 100 votes by the ruling group..
Result shows Labour can win in Somerset
Labour’s candidate for the County elections in May, Chris Inchley, said “Shepton Mallet Labour scored a great victory in Shepton West on Thursday evening. This result proves that Labour can win in Somerset, it is clear Labour offers a very real alternative to the Conservative Liberal democrat failed government.”
Chris continued “In Shepton, our valued community hospital beds are under threat, due to the cost of the top down government re-organisation and financial pressures. The people of Shepton have rejected this and Deborah Towner and John Gilham will now use their voices to defend our hospital. Shepton has a poor bus service and townspeople are angry at being treated as second best, The Conservatives have neglected our Town centres public realm.”
“The people of Shepton and Somerset can vote Labour with the confidence that this leads to elected Labour Councillors who will argue for better public services and using public money on the services they value.”
Completly agree with Susan Gibbs.We must tell the voters that we are not a wasted vote ,and tell them where the anti tory,Labour can’t win vote got them in the general election.
Congratulations John and Deborah. I look forward to meeting you both at our next meeting. So much for the Lib Dem ‘Labour can’t win here’ slogan. I do hope they remove it from their literature completely.
Good stuff, bring on May 2013!
Great win by our colleges in Shepton Mallet,and may I echo the sentiments that Chris Inchley stats in his report that voters can vote Labour
Great news YES WE CAN
Congratulations to Deborah and John. What a fantastic boost before the County elections in May.