Southport Labour delivers historic double-win in Sefton elections

Southport Labour delivers historic double-win in Sefton elections

Labour has taken two Southport seats in the local elections, both from the Liberal-Democrats. It’s their first election victory in the town since Sefton Council was created back in 1974.

The results complete a remarkable few years for Southport Labour which has also seen a near quadrupling of its vote in the general election since 2015, pushing the Lib-Dems back into third place overall.

Now, in a historic double-win, it has also had its first councillors elected in Kew and Norwood both of which were previously held by the Lib-Dems and also ran them a close second in Birkdale.

Labour’s new Kew councillor, Janis Blackburne, described by her Lib-Dem opponent as a “faceless Corbyn candidate” during the campaign, won convincingly by over 400 votes and was delighted with the result:

” With 45% of the vote, I think the people of Kew sent a resounding message that they are tired of councillors who don’t treat residents with respect and that they want change. It was a fantastic result that shows just how far we have come in the last few years in Southport. We would like to thank all those who voted for us in Kew and the other wards.”

The win was even more resounding in Norwood for Labour where Mahiri Doyle polled over 50% more than her closest rival, she explained:

” We worked hard for this result and for the residents of Norwood but it’s only the beginning. Labour now have a real voice in Southport, one that will call for further funding for our town and borough. The Lib-Dem and Tory cuts must stop and the investment must start. It’s the only way we will get our town moving forward again.”

On a desperate night for the Lib-Dems locally, they also lost in Ainsdale, Cambridge and Dukes to the Tories and just squeezed clear of Labour in Birkdale on the postal vote.

Despite this, the Liberal-Democrats have attempted to put on a face that is not so much brave as perhaps foolhardy by trying to claim that the results reveal they are actually in first place in the town.

It’s a suggestion that is quickly dismissed by Labour’s parliamentary candidate, Liz Savage, who believes the results are a sea-change locally:

” It’s brazen given they just lost five out of the seven seats they held and it’s partly that type of wildly unrealistic and incessant spin that has caused people to lose faith with them I believe.These results, coupled with our very strong general election performance, show that Labour is now a real force in the town.

Last night was local election history in the making and if there is a general election we believe it will be the same again. Southport wants change and we offer it. It wants funding and a brighter future and we will provide it. Labour will get Southport moving again if it is given the chance.”