Gordon Brown's poll bounce, achieved in his own backyard at the recent Glenrothes Commons by-election, was quickly jolted by two council contest shocks. Tories stormed a previous Labour stronghold in Walsall MBC with a 14.8% swing since last May. And in an upset for mainstream parties, the BNP gained a seat at Boston BC at the expense of the ruling by-pass independents group though the ward had been Labour prior to 2007. Last month: Tories gained from Labour at Walsall MBC and from Lib Dems at Teignbridge DC. They held seats at Hinckley and Bosworth BC, Waltham Forest LBC and Wokingham DC Labour held defended seats at Edinburgh City, Glasgow City and Tower Hamlets LBC Liberal Democrats gained from Tory at Cambridgeshire CC and South Cambridgeshire DC and from independent at Darlington Council. They held a Devon CC seat. BNP gained from by-pass independents at Boston BC. Independent gained from Tory at Rutland CC. So far this year, Tories have five net gains, Liberal Democrats five, Plaid Cymru one, Green one and BNP one. Labour has five net losses, and independent and others eight.
