Lib Dem victory in Calne by-election

1:49pm Monday 4th February 2008

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NATIONALIST party the BNP were rejected by Calne voters as Liberal Democrat Glenis Ansell won the last town council seat.

Mrs Ansell said: "I am thrilled to have won and want to do my utmost to fulfil the trust given to me.

"I think being new to politics was not a bad thing. Looking forward I am keen to take any concerns that people have to the council."

Only 25 per cent of voters turned up to the Calne Lickhill by-election on Thursday.

Mrs Ansell, 59, who works for Lloyds Bank, beat four other candidates with a total of 278 votes.

In second place was Conservative candidate Greg Widger with 256 votes.

BNP representative Robert Baggs, 48, a practice manager, came fourth with 86 votes.

But it was Mad Hatter Geoff Brown for the Green Party who came last with 23 just votes.

In the run up to the election Mrs Ansell promised to bring the community of Lickhill together.

In his online blog Mr Baggs wrote: "If all of the support we had received across the ward whilst campaigning had been converted into votes we would have done so much better.

"Where were you all? I am not sure if my disappointment was at the BNP result or with the general lack of interest.

"It seems that 2,400 people in Lickhill Ward have no interest in how their town is managed."

UKIP candidate Ellie Bland, who came in third with 150 votes, said: "I am disappointed because it was my old ward but I knew it would a highly contentious election."