The spinmeisters are still at it James Graham of Quaequam tries to talk down the idea that the Conservatives did well in the north of England when compared with his beloved Liberal Democrats. He goes on to praise the absurd Mark Pack whose contribution to psephology seems to be that if hadn't been for the councils where the Lib Dems did badly, they would have done well. Yeah, er, thanks for that.
Lib Dems like to pretend that they are the real challengers to Labour in the north of England. That would be true, if it weren't for the fact that the Lib Dems are running third across the north. Across most of the north Labour is running second. Labour leads across the north as a whole, only because of its huge lead in the north east.
So let us put this to bed. In the north as a whole, Labour is first, controlling 22 councils. The Conservatives are second with 15. Lib Dems are flat last with just 8. I can understand why Lib Dems like to claim they are actually second in the north. It's their job to lie for their party. That the BBC backs such an absurd idea in the face of the facts is a disgrace.
Here is the summary. Let me know if I have made any mistakes. I am looking here at council control, so councils with no overall control are excluded.
North West:
Conservatives 11 (Macclesfield; Congleton; Chester; West Lancs; Blackpool; Wyre; Fylde; South Ribble; Chorley; Ribble Valley; Hyndburn).
Labour 7 (Ellesmere Port & Neston; Halton; Knowsley; Wigan; Salford; Manchester; Copeland).
Lib Dems 5 (Stockport; Liverpool; Rochdale; Pendle; South Lakeland).
Yorkshire & Humberside:
Conservatives 3 (East Riding; Selby; Hambledon).
Labour 3 (Wakefield; Barnsley; Rotherham).
Lib Dems 1 (Kingston upon Hull).
North East
Labour 12 (Middlesborough; Darlington; Sedgefield; Hartlepool; Easington; Sunderland; Derwentside; Chester-le-Street; Gateshead; South Tyneside;
Wansbeck; Blyth Valley).
Lib Dem 2 (Durham; Newcastle-upon-Tyne)
Conservatives 1 (Tynedale).
