Lib Dems Only Party to Increase Vote in Leeds Elections (Leeds Liberal Democrats)

Leeds Liberal Democrats <info@leedslibdems.org.uk>

Lib Dems Only Party to Increase Vote in Leeds Elections

May 2, 2003 5:00 PM

Liberal Democrats in Leeds were the only one of three main Parties to increase their share of the vote at last Thursday's Local Elections, and to increase their actual votes. The Liberal Democrats also won seven seats on the night, compared to five a year earlier.

The change in votes between 2002 and 2003 was as follows:-

Liberal Democrats - total votes cast up by 2,283 (up 2.78%)

Labour - total votes cast down by 13,017 (down 5.95%)

Conservatives - total votes cast down by 2,834 (down 0.11%)

Cllr Mark Harris, Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group on the City Council said :- "The key result in the City on the night was the defeat of the Labour Council Leader in Rothwell, despite national support being thrown behind him by the Labour Party. We also won a seat from Labour in Burmantofts, but were disappointed to narrowly lose Bramley and Otley & Wharfedale, despite substantially improving our position compared to a year ago. The Party also saw major advances in University, where we missed defeating the Labour Chief Whip by seventy votes, and in Kirkstall, where our vote more than doubled."

"Next year the whole Council will be up for re-election, on new ward boundaries. If the Electoral Commission confirm the recommendations made so far then we are in a good position to take advantage and make a further major step forward."

"The coming year will be a hard one for the Labour Group, their majority is now down to 5 seats, the lowest for over twenty years, and we intend to make sure they are challenged at every opportunity, before they finally lose control next June."