'Stunning' by-election victory for Shropshire Lib Dems

Liberal Democrat Andrew Sherrington beats a Conservative candidate in the previously safe Tory ward

The Liberal Democrats have said "there is no such thing as a safe Conservative seat in Shropshire anymore" after victory in a council by-election.

It is the first time the Worfield ward has not been represented by a Conservative and the first time there have been fewer than 40 Conservatives on Shropshire Council.

While Andrew Sherrington won by only eight votes, it amounted to a swing of more than 30% to his party.

He said he was "enormously grateful".

"It is a really great privilege to be the first Liberal Democrat to ever win in our beautiful and special area," he added.

Shropshire made national political headlines in 2021 when the Liberal Democrats took the previously safe North Shropshire parliamentary constituency from the Tories.

The Worfield ward by-election was called following the resignation of Conservative cabinet member Richard Marshall.

The final results were 400 votes to Mr Sherrington, 392 to Conservative Michael Wood and 40 to the Labour candidate Shanti Flynn.

Across the wider authority, the Tories now have 39 seats against the 35 held by opposition parties, with a further local by-election to come.

The Worfield area falls under the Ludlow parliamentary constituency, currently represented by the Conservatives but in 2001 elected a Liberal Democrat MP, Matthew Green.

Mr Green said on social media the outcome in Worfield was a "stunning result" in one of the "safest Tory wards in Shropshire".

He said it would "send shivers through declining Tory ranks on the council" and was a big boost for the Liberal Democrats ahead of the next General Election.

Ludlow is set to be replaced by a new constituency of South Shropshire at the next General Election, in line with boundary changes happening nationwide.

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