Labour held the only seat it was defending with a slightly increased vote share on a night of just three council by-elections.

UKIP’s decline continues, with them losing a seat in Mid Devon without even contesting the ward, to the Conservatives. The Tories also cannot regard the day’s local contests as successful, with them losing a West Dorset seat to an Independent, with the government party’s vote share plummeting 14 points.

The ward Labour was defending in Trafford, Greater Manchester, is on the only Tory controlled council in the metropolitan region. Our vote grew slightly, by 1.8 points, leaving us with 64.7 per cent of the vote. This is almost double the Conservative vote share, who came in second on 28.1 per cent. These results come via Britain Elects.

The seat, which when last contested was won by Labour, had been held by a councillor who had defected to the Tories. Whilst not a gain in the traditional sense, in terms of working groups on the council, it does mean that the Labour have an additional figure in their team.

This comes after last week’s by-elections, where the Tories haemorrhaged seats in a bumper night of votes. They lost six with Labour making three gains as 14 seats were contested.

Lyme Regis & Charmouth, West Dorset

Independent gain from Conservative

Independent: 52.3 per cent (+52.3)

Conservative: 33.3 per cent (-14.0)

Labour: 14.4 per cent (+14.4)

No Green, Liberal Democrats and other Independents as before.

Bucklow-St Martins, Trafford

Labour hold

Labour: 64.7 per cent (+1.8)

Conservative: 28.1 per cent (+0.2)

UKIP: 4.0 per cent (+4.0)

Green: 2.0 per cent (-7.2)

Liberal Democrat: 1.1 per cent (+1.1)

Westexe, Mid Devon

Conservative gain from UKIP

Conservative: 36.4 per cent (+11.2)

Independent: 23.4 per cent (+7.6)

Labour: 21.4 per cent (+11.5)

Liberal Democrat: 18.8 per cent (+18.8)

No UKIP, Green and other Independents as before.