Lib Dems celebrate local election gains
The Liberal Democrats have said they are delighted by last night’s election results.
In the most high profile scalp so far, the Lib Dems have taken control of Newcastle, ending 30 years of Labour Party control.
So far, the Liberal Democrats have gained control of two new councils, bringing their total to six.
Lib Dem chief executive Lord Rennard said: “Thursday night’s local election results show the Liberal Democrats continuing to gain support and council seats – and challenging Labour in what were previously Labour heartlands.
“Labour has suffered a significant setback, falling to just 26 per cent on BBC estimates so far – below the 28 per cent share they had under Michael Foot’s leadership in the 1983 General Election. Labour now face a serious threat from the Liberal Democrats in many city seats.
According to some pollsters’ predictions, the Liberal Democrats may be polling a higher share of the national vote than the Labour Party.
Attack the Conservatives’ performance, Lord Rennard said: “The Conservatives have failed in their objective of winning back support in the cities – failing to win a single council seat in Liverpool, Manchester or Oxford.
“Liberal Democrats believe that our gains in the 2004 local election results are the precursor to substantial gains from Labour at the next General Election – just as their local election gains in the mid 1990s pointed the way to substantial gains from the Conservatives at the 1997 General Election.”
Speaking to the BBC this morning, party leader Charles Kennedy was in buoyant mood.
He said the results showed there is now “really three party politics in Britain.”
“The media, if I may say so, have really got to wake up to that fact and start reporting our politics more in that way.”
