By-election Wins Prolong Labour Honeymoon

The victories and a win in a boundary change ward came against Liberal Democrats and independents. But there was a gloomy message from these four seats for Conservatives who in two cases failed to produce candidates and polled relatively poorly in two others.

Labour scored a double win from independents at North Kesteven District with Robert Arnold taking a Washingborough seat and Cynthia Roberts winning at Skellingthorpe, where a Tory was elected in 1995.

The third gain by Louise Wing came from Liberal Democrats at Melton Borough, Leicestershire.

This was, however, in stark contrast to the result from nearby Harborough District where Tory Roy Vickers easily defended a marginal Glen seat with Labour slumping to third place behind a newly intervening Liberal Democrat.

Labour won an extra seat on Denbighshire County Council, North Wales in a double election at Llangollen caused by boundary changes with Wrexham Borough.

The first Scottish by-election since the general election gave a boost to Liberal Democrats and, surprisingly, some comfort to Tories after their May 1 wipeout north of the border.

Liberal Democrat Anne Robertson won a former independent seat at Upper Ythan, Aberdeenshire, where her party had come a poor third in the first contests for the new all-purpose council in 1995.

She pipped Tories, who did not stand two years ago, by just 57 votes. The Scottish National Party slumped to bottom place in a ward which, until May 1, had been in the Banff and Buchan constituency of SNP leader Alex Salmond.

Liberal Democrats ran Labour a close second at Newsham and New Delaval, Blyth Valley Borough, Northumberland.

RESULTS:
Aberdeenshire Council - Upper Ythan: Lib Dem 543, C 486, Ind 373, SNP 278. (April 1995 - Ind 786, SNP 261, Lib Dem 185, Lab 95). Lib Dem gain from Ind.

Blyth Valley Borough - Newsham and New Delaval: Lab 396, Lib Dem 333, C 25. (May 1995 - Three seats Lab 908, 758, 753, Lib Dem 537, 464, 386, C 67). Lab hold. Swing 8.6% Lab to Lib Dem.

Denbighshire County - Llangollen: Two seats Ind 739, Lab 730, Ind 640. (May 1995 - Two seats Ind 551, 549, Lab 521, Plaid Cymru 126). Ind win, Lab win. Boundary change.

Harborough District - Glen: C 544, Lib Dem 339, Lab 149. (May 1996 - Two seats C 627, 614; Lab 472, 465). C hold. Swing 12.1% Lab to C.

Melton Borough - Craven: Lab 332, Lib Dem 217, C 191. (May 1995 _ Two seats Lib Dem 539, 511, Lab 307, C 214, Ind 137). Lab gain from Lib Dem. Swing 17% Lib Dem to Lab.

North Kesteven District - Skellingthorpe: Lab 343, Ind 161, Ind 132. (May 1995 - Two seats Lab 1093, C 439, Ind 407, Lib Dem 226). Lab gain from Ind.

North Kesteven District - Washingborough: Lab 497, C 313. (May 1995 - Two seats Ind 893, C 681, Lab 518). Lab gain from Ind. Swing 15.2% C to Lab.