Andrew Duff has been re-elected as the Liberal Democrat Euro MP for the East of England. Following the declaration late last night, he highlighted the Liberal Democrats' defeat of Labour in the share of the vote across the region and the party's many strong performances in last week's council elections, including the notable success in becoming the largest party on Bedford Borough Council.
The Liberal Democrats have become the largest party on the new unitary Bedford Borough Council after a superb set of election results announced today. The Lib Dems won 13 seats, the Conservatives just 9, while Labour and Independents won 7 each. The result saw the Lib Dems move from being the second largest group on the council to the largest, thanks to a series of victories in urban and rural wards across the Borough as the party increased its proportion of seats on the council.
The Liberal Democrats have won the four seats across the Bedford wards of of Kingsbrook and Goldington in resounding victories. In Kingsbrook, where Labour had held the County Council seat, sitting Borough Councillors Dave Hodgson and Anita Gerard romped home with nearly twice the vote of the nearest challenger. In Goldington, sitting Borough Councillor Phil Merryman was returned along with Sylvia Gillard, who had been County Councillor for Goldington.
The Liberal Democrats have won De Parys Ward in the Bedford Borough Elections, after David Sawyer almost doubled the vote of his Conservative opponent in the Ward, which had been a split Lib Dem/Tory ward before it was reduced to a single seat. David Sawyer will now be the sole Councillor for the urban Bedford ward, after a thumping victory in which he finished nearly four hundred votes clear of his Conservative opponent.
The Liberal Democrats have won the rural wards of Eastcotts and Harrold, beating the Conservatives into second place convincingly in both cases, while also triumphing in Wootton Ward, winning its two seats in another emphatic victory. New Councillor Sarah Holland takes over in Eastcotts from Christine McHugh, who stood down at this election. Cllr Nick Charsley holds his seat in Harrold, which he won from the Conservatives in May 2006. Cllrs Judith Cunningham and Tim Hill held their Wootton seats, with a thumping victory over both their Conservative and Ukip challengers.
Follow the latest Bedford Borough election results news live as it happens here. This story will be updated throughout the day live with all the results as they are announced.
