West Midlands local elections 2007 round-up

1.12.21pm GMT Wed 27th Feb 2008

Ballot paper

Figures released by the Electoral Reform Society show that the Liberal Democrats, the Labour Party, the Greens, BNP and UKIP all suffered from the electoral system in last year's local elections in the West Midlands.

The Electoral Reform Society has published its report and analysis of the 2007 Local authority elections in England, this report shows that despite winning 17.1% of the vote the Liberal Democrats received only 12.3% of the seats.

Labour also lost out winning 25.7% of the vote but only 19% of the seats, as did the Greens winning 2.9% of the vote but only 0.3% of the seats, the BNP won 4.7% of the votes and won 0.4% of the seats, UKIP won 0.9% of the vote and won 0.3% of the seats.

The Conservatives on the other hand won 57.1% of the total seats despite gaining only 37.9% of the votes.

In Herefordshire the Conservatives won overall control of the Council and 55.2% of the seats on just 38.7% - The Liberal Democrats won 17.2% of the seats on 20.5%. Oddly the Labour party did disproportionately well winning 3.4% of the seats on 2.4% of the vote, the Greens suffered the most winning only 1.7% of the seats on 11.5% of the vote.

Across the Shropshire Councils the Conservatives won 51.7% of the seats on just 41.4% of the vote, both the Liberal Democrats and Labour were victims of the electoral system - Labour won 12.3% of the seats on 17.8% of the vote and the Liberal Democrats won 11.3% of the seats on 15.0% of the vote.

Staffordshire saw an even bigger in balance with the Conservatives winning 62.9% of the seats with just 39.1% of the vote, again both the Liberal Democrats and Labour were victims of the electoral system - Labour won 17.4% of the seats on 26.1% of the vote and the Liberal Democrats won 9.3% of the seats on 13.8% of the vote.

Warwickshire saw both the Conservatives and Labour winning more than their fair share and the Liberal Democrats suffering. The Conservatives won 58.3% of the seats on 45% of the vote, Labour won 23.5% of the seats on 22% of the vote and the Liberal Democrats won only 14.8% of the seats despite actually winning more votes than Labour with 24.2% of the vote.

Worcestershire saw the Conservatives win 70.1% of the seats on just 47.4% of the vote. The Liberal Democrats won just 12.1% of the seats on 18.3% of the vote, Labour won just 7.6% of seats on 14.7% of the vote.

Birmingham saw the Conservatives, Labour and Liberal Democrats all win 'too many' seats at the expense of the BNP, Green and others. The Conservatives did particularly well winning 40.0% of the seats on 28.0% of the vote, the Labour Party won more votes but less seats winning 32.5% of the seats on 31.8% of the vote, the Liberal Democrats won 25.0% of the seats on 21.7% of the vote. The Greens and BNP failed to win any Councillors despite winning 4.8% and 7.6% of the vote respectively.