Gordon Brown's misery at the polls has continued, with a series of local losses. The Conservatives have won seven council seats in recent by-elections – with five of the gains from Labour in marginal or semi-marginal parliamentary constituencies. Two Tory gains – at Batchley, Redditch BC and Arrow Valley East, Worcestershire CC – were in the powerbase of home secretary, Jacqui Smith. The Tories also made another West Midlands gain at Common ward, Stafford BC, and snatched seats at Chadwell Heath, Barking and Dagenham LBC, and Church Street, Westminster City. This is the first time Conservatives have been returned in any of these three wards. However, Labour did come close to gaining one seat from the Conservatives at Pentyrch, Cardiff CC, losing by just 12 votes. Liberal Democrats gained former independent seats at Darley, Derby City and Unstone, North East Derbyshire DC, but lost to Tories at Trowbridge Central, West Wiltshire DC, and Plaid Cymru at Aberystwith Rheidol, Ceredigion CC. Conservatives won at Coastal ward, Boston BC, from the Boston By-pass Independents, who won a landslide victory at last year's borough elections.