Walthamstow Lib Dems delight at latest victory over Labour

4.03.11pm GMT Thu 21st Feb 2008

"The Liberal Democrats are the only party in Waltham Forest who are continually gaining resident's support"

Liberal Democrats in Walthamstow are celebrating another victory over Labour after the party took back a council seat in nearby Leyton which was left vacant after the expulsion of Labour councillor Miranda Grell.

The Liberal Democrats scored an overwhelming victory, taking over 55% of the vote. The 1360 votes received was almost double the number cast for the Labour candidate. The Conservatives, meanwhile, finished in a poor fourth place, taking just 4% of the vote.

The Liberal Democrats now hold a third of all council seats in Waltham Forest, the highest in the local party's history.

Walthamstow parliamentary candidate Farid Ahmed believes that the gains made by the party are recognition of the work which local Lib Dems put into their communities.

"The Liberal Democrats are the only party in Waltham Forest who are continually gaining resident's support.

"The continuing collapse in support for Labour suggests that residents have grown tired of their relentless negative campaigning. By resorting again to desperate attacks on the other parties during the Leyton by-election campaign, they are showing that that they clearly haven't learnt any lessons at all from the Miranda Grell saga. Meanwhile, Conservative support has flatlined. Whilst the Tories have the same amount of seats on our local council as they did a decade ago, the Liberal Democrat share has nearly doubled.

"This latest victory goes to show that residents continue to appreciate the unparalleled hard work which our members, activists and representatives put into working within their communities all year round -not just at election time.

"We are proud not only to be judged by residents on the work which we do within our communities but also to present a positive vision for change.