Lib Dems beat Tories in Gaywood North & Central by-election

Voters in Gaywood North and Central, an area of King's Lynn, have elected Lib Dem candidate David Sayers, who came out ahead of Labour candidate Richard Johnson by just eight votes. 

There was a dramatic swing of 29.8 percentage points in the previously Tory seat, on a par with the 29.9pt swing seen in this year's Tiverton and Honiton parliamentary by-election.

It follows the surprise Lib Dem win in neighbouring Gaywood South in July 2021, when the party pulled off a very similar swing to capture the seat from the Tories. 

In this latest by-election, Tory support in the seat more than halved in proportional terms, dropping from 56.1pc in May 2021, to just 25pc.

Sheila Young, who held the seat for the Tories between 2017 and 2021, was again standing as the party's candidate in this by-election. 

Conservative candidate and former county councillor Sheila Young (Image: Borough Council of King's Lynn and West Norfolk)

Mr Sayers said he was "humbled and honoured" to have won the trust of voters.

He added: “It cannot be ignored that two out of the four county divisions in King’s Lynn are now held by the Liberal Democrats.

"The long period of Conservative dominance in West Norfolk is starting to come to an end.”

Having won the seat, Mr Sayers said his main priorities were to improve the state of the Gaywood river and to help residents through the cost of living crisis.

And he said voters were dissatisfied with the Conservatives not only nationally, but locally too.

"There's been a recent power struggle which saw [long-serving Conservative cabinet member] Brian Long removed from the executive [of West Norfolk Borough Council].

"I think it fed into the narrative that their leadership is non-coherent."

The seat had become vacant following the resignation of Graham Middleton, who said he had too many time pressures to perform the role effectively.

Former Conservative county councillor Graham Middleton created the vacancy when he resigned after 18 months as a county councillor, citing pressures on his time (Image: Ian Burt)

Mr Middleton continues to serve as deputy leader of West Norfolk Borough Council.

The political make-up at County Hall is now Conservatives 56, Labour 12, Liberal Democrats 10, Greens (three), Independents (two) and non-aligned independent (one).

The by-election result was:

Lib Dem - 364 votes // 35.6pc (+28.5pc)

Labour - 356 votes // 34.8pc (+1.3pc)

Con - 256 votes // 25.0pc (-31.1pc)

Green - 46 votes // 4.5pc (New)

Turnout: 13.7pc