Lib Dems crushed in by elections

As the Lib Dem vote plummets in by elections and Labour picks up some councils, there must remain a real concern about any political turnaround with voters in some areas still staying home in their droves.

Labour took Kent's Dover Town division from Tory with a 9 per cent swing with the Lib Dems getting only 5 per cent of the vote. A significant Labour gain and Lib Dem collapse in a south east parliamentary marginal. There were previously only two Labour seats on Kent County Council. http://www.kentonline.co.uk/east_kent_mercury/news/2010/december/17/new_page/new_pag.aspx

In Tower Hamlets, Respect won a by-election with the Lib Dems getting just 2% of the vote,
this in a council they used to control http://grayee.blogspot.com/2010/12/result-spitalfields-and-banglatown-ward.html . But a 16% turnout with all the issues facing the electorate is a worrying sign of voter disaffection. It may be local infighting that is turning them off but if any progress is to be made in getting rid of the government, much more needs to be done to engage the electorate.

Elsewhere, Labour regained control of Wolverhampton Metropolitan Borough Council after a vote of no-confidence in the ConDem administration:
http://www.expressandstar.com/news/2010/12/16/labour-regain-control-of-wolverhampton-city-council/

This followed Labour taking over as a minority administration in Rochdale http://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/50631/labour-takes-control-of-the-council