Labour Candidate for Yeovil South, Terry Ledlie, believes that the Liberal Democrat vote has peaked , is now in decline and he is convinced that change is just around the corner.
Terry says “In the County election in 2001 the results for the South Ward were as follows, Liberal Democrats, 1782, Conservative 1391, Labour 700.In 2005 the Liberal Democrats hit the dizzy heights of 1938 votes to the Conservatives 1366 and Labour came in third with 700 votes. This was the Lib Dems at their best gaining more of the vote than in 2001. However,their majority has been in decline ever since.”
‘Lib Dem vote plummeting’
The first signs of Lib Dem decline came in 2009 when their vote plummeted from 1938 to 1305, a loss of 633 votes and the Conservatives came second with 1184 reducing the Lib Dem majority to just 121. Terry says “Yeovil Labour has
worked hard and are able contenders for this year’s County council elections especially with an ex Liberal district councillor standing as the Conservative candidate. Also with the boundary changes this election is for the taking. Crucially, if this decline continues, loosing another 600 votes could prove disastrous for the incumbent Councillor and if Labour come out in force then a major upset could be on the cards in this year’s county council elections.”
With Labour clawing back seats around Somerset from Shepton to Peasedown and a renewed vigour in the Labour campaign there could well be a few surprises on May 2nd