Encouraging Lib Dem result in Rotherham's Keppel ward

Those of us who worry that the Liberal Democrat vote is not going up when the Conservative vote is going down will be encouraged by the result of yesterday's only local by-election:

Keppel (Rotheram) Council By-Election Result:

LAB: 36.1% (+4.6)
LDM: 21.6% (+14.7)
IND: 18.5% (New)
YP: 15.2% (New)
CON: 5.8% (-18.2)
GRN: 2.9% (New)

No Localists (-37.7) as previous.
Labour GAIN from Localist.

Changes w/ 2021.

— Election Maps UK (@ElectionMapsUK) January 27, 2023

It's dangerous to read too much into one local by-election result, when turnouts can he so low. And, as the indispensable weekly by-election preview by Andrew Teale shows, Keppel has a more complicated electoral history than most wards.

But when the Tory vote goes down sharply you do want to see the Lib Dem vote going up sharply. And that happened here.

Andrew thought of it too, but this is too good an opportunity to miss. So here are Wilson and Keppel, but not Betty.