Lib Dem win in Streatham St Leonard’s, Greens hold Clapham Park: full by-election report

Alex Davies overturned a Green majority to take Streatham St Leonard’s for the Liberal Democrats, while veteran community campaigner Michael Ball held Clapham Park for the Greens by just 43 votes in two closely fought by-elections decided at Lambeth Town Hall tonight.

Davies won with 1,161 votes (42%) to the Greens’ Dario Goodwin on 972 (35%), with Labour’s Jade Ellen Albas trailing on 421. The Lib Dems had finished third in the ward in May – making the gain all the more remarkable.

In Clapham Park, Ball’s margin over Labour’s Louie Somerville-Sutherland was razor thin with 842 votes to 799 – in a ward where Labour had held all three seats until May’s elections.

On leaving the election count at Lambeth Town Hall, Davies, a self-described ‘Streatham boy’ who grew up on Estreham Road and has lived in the area all his life, previously represented neighbouring Streatham Hill West, told Brixton Buzz:

“We’ve just fought a really closely fought campaign, in which both the Greens and Labour threw everything they could at it.

But we’ve been able to deliver a campaign which is about having a local champion as your councillor.”

– Alex Davies, newly elected Liberal Democrat Councillor for Streatham St Leonards

He added that he felt “perhaps a little complacency had crept in” among the Green councillors who had represented the ward, and said his campaign had reported more than 100 issues to the council during the short campaign period.

“People say, oh, it’s just what it is. I don’t think so – we can make it cleaner and safer, and that’s what we’re gonna try to do.”

Lib Dem leader Matthew Bryant said: “It strengthens our position, but mostly we’ve got a really good extra councillor – somebody with loads of experience who’ll be a real asset to our group.”

The results leave the council composed of 28 Green, 26 Labour and 9 Lib Dem seats. The Green-Lib Dem cooperation that delivered the current hybrid cabinet committee model with Greens taking the leadership remains intact, but the Streatham result may prompt reflection in the Green group about the lingering impact of the Saiqa Ali controversy in the ward.

Commenting on BB’s sister site Urban75, user Lang Rabbie described the Streatham result as ‘amazing’ and ‘a terrible result for Steve Reed’s Streatham and Clapham North CLP as well as for Streatham Greens after their refusal to apologise for continuing to campaign for their disgraced candidate in May, even after her arrest.’

Martin Abrams, Green Leader of Lambeth Council, said in a statement shortly after the count:

“This result is a clear mandate for change, and a Green-led administration, in Lambeth. We are the largest party in the borough, with Labour clearly now in second place after two decades in charge.

Lambeth residents are sick of a political elite that puts the interests of big business and developers ahead of the needs of the community.

Lambeth Greens have a vision for change – fighting to end austerity, roll back the housing crisis, and empower the people who live and work here.

That is why we won in Clapham Park, and we’re already getting to work.”

– Cllr Martin Abrams, Leader of Lambeth Council

Michael Ball, the newly elected Green Councillor for Clapham Park, said in the same statement:

“I am deeply honoured to have been elected as councillor for Clapham Park, in what was a hard fought campaign, and I would like to thank every one of the voters and volunteers who came out for us.

Over the next four years, I will fight every day for the people who live here, and for their right to decent social housing and a real say in the decisions that affect them.

Again and again, residents told me on the doorstep that they were tired of being ignored by Labour, worried about being able to make ends meet, and angry about inequality and injustice.

However you voted, I will fight for you in the months and years to come.”

– Michael Ball, newly elected Liberal Democrat Councillor for Clapham Park

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