Elections 2006 - an analysis of why the Lib Dems held their own and have gained in strength in Crawley

11.13.21pm UTC (GMT +0000) Sun 7th May 2006

On the face of it the Lib Dems result of one seat held looks limited this actually masks some significant changes in Crawley - including replacing Labour in second place in seats that they once held.

The Lib Dems held on to Northgate when for the first time for many years both Labour and the Conservatives actually did some work there. Although the Labour campaign was incredibly negative (leaflets made claims that could not be backed by facts and only served to emphasise the failings of the then Labour run Borough Council) they had high hopes of winning the seat.

Although the Conservatives also claimed they could win the seat they did in fact have the more modest objective of beating Labour into second place. They only failed in this by 14 votes.

The Lib Dems being attacked by both Labour and the Conservatives is no new phenomena. The fact that at the end of Election Day the Lib Dem majority was almost unchanged says more for Linda Seekings and the Lib Dems than it does for Labour or the Conservatives.

Although the Lib Dems were on the receiving end of a classic "third party squeeze" over most of Crawley they not only resisted this but forced Labour into third place in both Pound Hill South & Worth and Maidenbower. They also performed well above the Crawley average in Langley Green and Broadfield North.

It's no exaggeration to say that in Broadfield North they were the probable reason that Labour's vote was so reduced that they eventually lost the seat on the drawing of lots.