Newport West By Election

Sonic67

Polls open for Newport West by-election

Candidates:

Who are the Newport West candidates?

Over by there

5000 or so majority at the last election. Not a safe seat as such, lots to split the vote. Voted leave by a margin, 73708 total cast and leave was 41236 vs 32413 remain.

Big issue with the M4 relief road, that is a really contentious issue if anyone travels that section of tarmac that is basically a car park a lot of the time. Labour led Assembly has sat on it for years.

Hope UKIP lose their deposit.

justincase

Wouldn't trust any of that lot to run a bath

Over by there

Labour win but 37% turnout. 1951 majority, of course Labour sees it as a landslide.

Ukip third.

Over by there

Liberal candidate was not at the count. Andrew Neil quizzes party chairman who says he had a long standing commitment. Mr Neil along the lines of "1:30 in morning?" Not sure if he was at the end for the "all stand and nod and clap politley and congratulate your opponent even tough you probably hate their guts"  bit.

Clip doing the rounds somewhere on twitter.

He did come 5th though but I though it was convention they stayed till the bitter end.

Sonic67

Their lowest ever electoral turnout apparently. You might think that its people losing faith with politics.

Labour: 39.6% (-12.7)Conservatives: 31.3% (-8.0)UKIP: 8.6% ( 6.1)Plaid Cymru: 5.0% ( 2.6)Lib Dem: 4.6% ( 2.4)Green: 3.9% ( 2.8)Renew: 3.7% ( 3.7)Abolish the Welsh Assembly: 0.9% ( 0.9)SDP: 0.9% ( 0.9)Democrats and Veterans: 0.8% ( 0.8)For Britain: 0.7% ( 0.7)
Also of note. UKIP made the largest gain. LibDems in fifth. The party that strongly backs remaining in the EU.

Where are the thousands who march in Remain Central?

Over by there

UKIP, OK, it was in smaller numbers but could have indications for the next welsh assembly elections, 2021 is a way off yet though. More worrying for me is Plaid.

The remain, well, who would you vote for? The election was back to pre 2017 turnouts. Back to normal then, labour taking a hit is interesting. I think that now it does not matter who you vote for as far as brexit is concerned unless it is a national vote.

Sonic67

If UKIP hadn't stood, you might have seen a change in colour. About 2000 between the top two and UKIP got 2000. And a 12% drop for Labour, from a majority of 22000 to 9000.

2019 Newport West by-election - Wikipedia


                                                                               

Turnout down by 20000.

2017:

                                                                               

2019:

                                                                       

Rasczak

Given people are allegedly outraged about "the betrayal of Brexit", and Newport was a strong leave voting area, it is somewhat surprising UKIP did not do better.  You should never read too much into by-elections but it seems the major parties don't have too much to fear from that quarter.

Rasczak

I think everyone should be concerned about turnout dropping so precipitously. Well done remainers for damaging our democracy.

Though likely good news for me if no mainstream parties support brexit. Whatever smaller party I vote for will have a bigger impact.