UKIP Vote Grows But Tories Maintain Overall Grip In Guildford District

Published on: 4 May, 2013
Updated on: 4 May, 2013

It is pretty much ‘as you were’ in the Guildford district following the county council elections on Thursday (May 2). Clearly most voters found the urge to vote on national issues irresistible.

Counting under way at Guildford Spectrum.

The only seat to change hands was Shalford when, predictably, UKIP was able to take advantage of the Conservative party’s slip up in failing to nominate its incumbent councillor, in a very safe seat.

Of the 10 Guildford district seats six remain Conservative, three remain liberal Democrat and now one is UKIP.

Conservative Keith Witham (left) in discussion with a colleague.

At the count held at Guildford Spectrum, there was great interest in the UKIP showing from all sides. Keith Witham who was re-elected as the Conservative councillor for Worplesdon, struck the only discordant note of the day when he complained about the lack of competition from all other political parties before singling out UKIP with a “You kip if you want to” jibe.

Marsha Mosley speaks after being re-elected.

Other Tories were acknowledging the UKIP challenge and some including a refreshingly straightforward and honest Marsha Mosley (Con, re-elected at Ash) warned that the Conservative party needs to take note and re-engage with its grass roots if it is to prevent a more significant haemorrhaging of votes at the next general election.

The Tories unsurprisingly hung on to its 2009 gains from the Lib Dems of Guildford East and Guildford South East.

Members from Guildford’s Lib Dems talk to Guildford’s Conservative MP Annie Milton (far right).

Lib Dem party members and candidates looked nervous as they watched the counts in their three divisions, Guildford North, Guildford South West and Guildford West. All their majorities shrunk. David Goodwin (Lib Dem, Guildford SW) acknowledged the strength of the challenge from new candidate, Nils Christiansen (Con). “It was a proper contest,” said Mr Goodwin who saw his majority diminish to just 150 votes (from 773 in 2009).

Overall, in line with the national picture it was the creation of a significant voting platform by UKIP that grabbed the attention. The party obtained 22% of the vote in the Guildford district, up from just 8% in 2009.

UKIP’s avowed aim now is to capitalise on its success. Some might be surprised that its votes are not coming only from the Tory camp. Disenchantment with the main political parties appears to be increasing. Whether the UKIP vote will prove to be a passing protest remains to be seen.

The count is over: empty boxes after all the votes had been counted for the Guildford division of the Surrey County Council elections. The count was held at Spectrum in Guildford.

The other observation is the low turnout, just 30% in the Guildford district matching that across Surrey. This continues the trend, worrying to many, of voter apathy. UKIP is intending, it says, to target the non voters next time round.

The Tories remain in overall control of Surrey County Council, gaining three more seats in Thursday’s election.

The Liberal Democrats remain the main opposition party with nine members. UKIP won three seats, its other gains were in Godstone, Staines South and Ashford West.

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