Council seat swings to Tories after by-election

In Swindon and the council leader Jim Robbins now has a 23 seat majority after a swing to the Conservatives in yesterday's election in Rodbourne Cheney.

Sudha Sri Nukana clinched nearly 49 per cent of the vote in what was for some their fourth time at the polls in the space of a year.

The by-election had to be held when Labour's Will Stone became an MP for Swindon North.

In a post on social media, the winning candidate said: "Thank you to everyone who placed their trust in me by voting. It’s a privilege to return to the Council chambers.

"I am committed to being your local champion, actively engaging with our community rather than stepping back.

"To all residents of Rodbourne Cheney, I’m here to listen and support you. Your voices matter, and together, we can tackle the challenges ahead and build a brighter future for our community."

Although there's now a reduced majority on the council, it doesn't impact Labour's force in getting policies through the chamber, but it does reflect the national picture about people's thoughts on the ruling party, who have now been in power for more than 100 days.

The seat itself has largely been a Labour stronghold - but results like this are to be taken with a pinch of salt, with the overall turnout likely to be lower than at other recent elections.

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