Owing to website problems and business there’s two weeks worth of political developments to catch up on. Several recent local byelections have produced a change of party.
On 12 July, the Liberal Democrats gained a seat at Haverstock ward, Camden borough council, from Labour. The seat had been held by Roy Shaw for more than fifty years. The Conservatives also gained a seat at Cowling ward, Craven district council, from an Independent. The Conservatives retained seats on Hounslow borough council (Hanworth Park ward), Newcastle-under-Lyme borough council (Westlands ward), and Staffordshire county council (Keele and Westlands division). Labour held a seat on Rotherham borough council (Valley ward), and the Liberal Democrats held their seat on Kent county council (Maidstone North East division).
On 19 July, Labour gained a seat from the Liberal Democrats at Heronwood ward, Rushmoor borough council, and held a seat on Swansea county borough council (Llansamlet division). The Conservatives regained a seat lost by the previous holder resigning from the party at Castle Hill ward, Ipswich borough council, and kept a seat in Cleveland ward, Ealing borough council.
Two notable recent defections are those of Shah Jahan Kahn from the Liberal Democrats to Labour on Oxford city council, and of Nick Yates from the Conservatives to the Liberal Democrats on
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