Labour’s Stephen George won the Milton By-election held yesterday (21st March) with a resounding show of confidence from the residents in Southend Labour’s policies and Stephen’s abilities. For a candidate who is not a sitting councillor to achieve 50% of the total vote on a day with a low turnout is an excellent result by any measure and reflects the hard work Stephen and the campaign team put in, as well as the esteem in which our previous councillor Julian Ware-Lane – whose sad death made this by-election necessary – was held by local people.

Stephen will work hard with Milton Ward colleague Cllr Cheryl Nevin to make the area a safe, clean and pleasant place to live. He joins our ten other Labour Councillors in pressing for the best for our town and opposing harmful and unnecessary Tory cuts.

The by-election result in full was:
Stephen George (Labour) 833
Garry Lowen (Conservative) 528
Carol White (LibDeb) 219
Jay Quail (For Britain) 89
Spoiled ballots 7.
Labour majority 305, turnout 20.55%.