The Lib Dems are back in North Kesteven

Yesterday was a good day for the Liberal Democrats in council by-elections, but as an East Midlander (albeit one born in Hampshire) I can be forgiven for concentrating on our gain in Lincolnshire.

Billinghay Rural (North Kesteven) Council By-Election Result:

🔶 LDM: 41.1% (New)
🌳 CON: 29.5%*
🙋 IND (Liles): 26.1% (New)
🙋 IND (Brand): 3.4% (New)

*Previously elected unopposed.

Liberal Democrat GAIN from Conservative.
Changes w/ 2023.

— Election Maps UK (@ElectionMapsUK) December 14, 2023

The victorious Lib Dem candidate was Adrian Whittle, whose father was a Conservative district councillor hererabouts for 11 years. Adrian himself was a Tory until the EU referendum.

He becomes our first member of North Kesteven District Council for some 20 years, and the report on My Local Lincolnshire makes it clear that, despite his history, Adrian is a Lib Dem through and through:

"The first job I want to do is try and map all the potholes in the ward because that is something that drives everybody up the wall. It's a bone of contention for most residents.

"There's a lot of bad streets, and while I can't go and fix them individually, if I can draw up a complete list of them, then I will certainly be taking it to the relevant people and say, 'look, can we have a plan of action'?"

That's going to mean a lot of pointing, but here's to more Lib Dem gains in North Kesteven.