Sandfields East Byelection on NPT

The result of the  Sandfields East Electoral Division Byelectioin October on 30th 2014 saw Labour carrying seemingly unchallenged in Welsh Byelections. 

Matthew Crowley Labour 641 [61.1%; +24.3%]

Keith Suter UKIP 361 [34.4%; +34.4%]
Richard James Minshul Conservatives 47 [4.5%; +4.5%]
[Independent [0.0%; -39.1%]]
[Neath Port Talbot Independence Party [0.0%; -23.7%]]

Majority: 280

Labou Hold

Result of ward at last election (2012): Emboldened denotes elected

Labour 1,041, 879, 750 (53%)
Independents 1,116, 622 (34%)
Ratepayers 669 (13%

No Plaid Candidate again and no independent, despite them holding one of the three seats. So Ukip were almost given free range to gain any dissatisfied  voters and must be disappointed to have made little headway.

But at least they stood . Plaid are the largest opposition group on NPT Labour 52, Plaid Cymru 8, Independents 3, Social Democrats 1 (Labour majority of 40) . So they maybe should have tested the water and used the opportunity to gain some insight into how to challenge Labour in more marginal seats.