Local election results 2022: Conservatives hold Swindon

The Conservatives have held control of Swindon Borough Council, taking one seat from Labour stronghold Central Ward for the second time in a row.

The seat was taken from longstanding councillor and former mayor Junab Ali.

Labour voters have returned to help the party hold onto onto other key "local red wall" marginals Penhill and Upper Stratton, and Rodbourne Cheney wards.

The Conservatives went into the Swindon elections with a record majority.

The Penhill and Upper Stratton seat has traditionally been held by a Labour councillor but in recent years has been occupied by Conservatives.

It was one of the main battlegrounds for Swindon in this election and Labour has held its one remaining seat there.

While Swindon's Conservatives have unsurprisingly held control of the council, they have suffered a series of unexpected losses.

The party has lost normally safe seats in Haydon Wick, Stratton St Margaret, and Lydiard and Freshbrook to Labour.

Swindon Conservative Leader David Renard blamed national issues, such as so-called partygate and the cost of living, on some of his party's voters staying home.

North Swindon Conservative MP Justin Tomlinson, deputy chair of the national party, said: "We must do better."

Although the Conservatives held control of Swindon, after today's count at the town's old railworks its the Tories who've been left feeling like they've hit the buffers.

Yes, they made a significant gain at Labour's expense in Central ward, but they're deeply concerned about Labour winning parts of the town that traditionally always vote Tory.

South Marston, Lydiard & Freshbrook, Haydon Wick and Priory Vale are normally safe Conservative areas that today have gone to Labour.

It isn't necessarily a sign voters are switching to Labour though - the Tories believe low turnouts in those areas shows some of their supporters have stayed at home.

The local party blames national politics - but the town's Conservative MPs also claim local issues like Swindon's notoriously long running roadworks were also a factor.

Once again, Swindon has shown itself to be a key electoral battleground between the two main parties - they're the only two with any councillors.

The Lib Dems failed to make any comeback, and although the Greens delivered their best ever performance in some places, they're still well short of winning a seat.

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