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| Liberal Democrats celebrate stunning council by-election wins in both North and South | Liberal Democrats celebrate stunning council by-election wins in both North and South |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| The Liberal Democrats are celebrating stunning local council victories in both the north and south, raising the party’s hopes that a comeback is underway. | |
| The party triumphed in Sandhill, in the Labour heartland of Sunderland, with a 41.5 point leap in its vote share. Labour support fell by nearly 30 points. | The party triumphed in Sandhill, in the Labour heartland of Sunderland, with a 41.5 point leap in its vote share. Labour support fell by nearly 30 points. |
| And in Gade Valley, on Three Rivers Council in Hertfordshire, the Libs won by more than 400 votes from the Conservatives following a 24-point jump in support. | And in Gade Valley, on Three Rivers Council in Hertfordshire, the Libs won by more than 400 votes from the Conservatives following a 24-point jump in support. |
| The victories follow the party’s shock win in the Richmond Park parliamentary by-election last month, when Sarah Olney beat former Conservative Zac Goldsmith. | |
| And they come on the back of the Lib Dems’ best ever year for council by-elections in 2016, when 31 seats were gained over the 12-month period. | |
| Alastair Campbell, Tony Blair’s former right-hand man, tweeted his reaction to the Labour loss in Sunderland with the single word “What?”. | |
| Embarrassingly for Jeremy Corbyn, just days ago he defended his leadership on the basis that Labour was enjoying success in local council polls. | Embarrassingly for Jeremy Corbyn, just days ago he defended his leadership on the basis that Labour was enjoying success in local council polls. |
| Strikingly, both last night’s town hall victories came in areas that voted Leave in the EU referendum – while Richmond Park was firmly Remain. | Strikingly, both last night’s town hall victories came in areas that voted Leave in the EU referendum – while Richmond Park was firmly Remain. |
| Tim Farron, the Lib Dem leader, said: “We finished 2016 winning by-elections and tonight we have shown that the Lib Dem fightback is going from strength to strength. | Tim Farron, the Lib Dem leader, said: “We finished 2016 winning by-elections and tonight we have shown that the Lib Dem fightback is going from strength to strength. |
| “Since May 2015 we have now gained over 20 council seats and won a parliamentary by-election in Richmond Park. | “Since May 2015 we have now gained over 20 council seats and won a parliamentary by-election in Richmond Park. |
| “Tonight we gained seats from both the Conservatives and from Labour. People up and down the country want to see an open, tolerant and united UK. | “Tonight we gained seats from both the Conservatives and from Labour. People up and down the country want to see an open, tolerant and united UK. |
| “It is the Liberal Democrats who are standing up and representing them, we are the real opposition to this Conservative Brexit government.” | “It is the Liberal Democrats who are standing up and representing them, we are the real opposition to this Conservative Brexit government.” |
| The Lib Dems are hopeful they can make a mark in the forthcoming Westminster by-election in Copeland, in Cumbria, triggered by the resignation of a disillusioned Labour MP. | The Lib Dems are hopeful they can make a mark in the forthcoming Westminster by-election in Copeland, in Cumbria, triggered by the resignation of a disillusioned Labour MP. |
| The party finished a distant fourth in 2015, but is the first to have selected a candidate and the seat is next to that of Mr Farron. | The party finished a distant fourth in 2015, but is the first to have selected a candidate and the seat is next to that of Mr Farron. |