Lib Dems celebrate stunning by-election victories

Liberal Democrats in the new Chippenham Parliamentary Constituency are celebrating victory in last Thursday’s Town Council by-elections in Chippenham and Melksham.

In Melksham Spa, Lib Dem, Peter Dauncey, polled 732 votes (59%) to the Conservatives’ 432 (35%) with the BNP trailing a poor third with 81 votes (6%). Peter now takes a seat previously held by the Conservatives and his victory means that the Conservatives now lose overall control of the Town Council.

In Chippenham Park, Lib Dem, Lorraine Roberts-Rance, took 427 votes (66%) defeating sitting Conservative Wiltshire Councillor, Peter Hutton, on 216 (34%) and will be joining the successful Lib Dem-led Chippenham Town Council .

Prospective Lib Dem MP, Duncan Hames, said: “This is a great result for Lorraine, Peter and the whole local Lib Dem team. Peter and Lorraine have been doing a lot of work for residents and both will make excellent local councillors. These wins build upon our success on June 4th – when we won the greatest number of votes across the constituency – and go to show that local people continue to prefer the Lib Dems’ positive, community-led approach to politics.”