Liberal Democrats celebrate double win on Morecambe Town Council at by-election

Morecambe Bay Independents lost their seat in Bare South East ward to Gerry Blaikie and the vacancy created in Harbour Ward by the resignation of an MBI Councillor was a resounding victory for the Liberal Democrat candidate Catherine Pilling. The MBI candidate came third.

These results mean that the Morecambe Liberal Democrats now have four Councillors on the Town Council as Paul Hart won the by-election in May. Jim Pilling has been a Liberal Democrat Councillor for Lune Ward since 2017.

Gerry Blaikie said: “I am delighted to represent the people of Bare South East and look forward to joining the rest of the team on the Council and working together for the benefit of Morecambe and its residents”.

Catherine Pilling, Harbour Ward’s first ever Liberal Democrat councillor, said: “I am delighted that our campaign was so successful and well worth all the hard work. The residents of the Ward seem to appreciate our contact with them and were happy to tell us the issues that were important to them. The team will certainly be following the local Liberal Democrat tradition of working all year round”.

The local Liberal Democrat chairman Peter Jackson said: “We are deeply thankful to the voters who put their trust in us. This is a huge swing away from Labour and the Morecambe Bay Independents”.

Coun Geoff Knight, a Lancaster city councillor, failed in his bid to represent Morecambe Bay Independents on Morecambe Town Council.

There are 26 councillors on the council.

Results

Bare South-East

Gerry Blaikie (Lib Dem) 178

Geoff Knight (MBI) 133

Turnout 24.3%

Harbour

Catherine Pilling (Lib Dem) 443

Joanne Ainscough (Labour) 208

Rosemary Abram (MBI) 118

Turnout 13.9%