Defeated Liberal Democrats have been left to reflect on what might have been after losing all of their seats on Lichfield District Council.
They joined many of their party colleagues across the country in feeling the public backlash over the coalition government.
Their failure to secure a seat and a similar result for independent, UKIP and Green Party candidates across Lichfield and Burntwood means the district is now governed by just two parties – the Conservatives and Labour.
Ian Jackson, who had served in Leomansley ward for eight years and was the Lib Dem group leader, admitted he was “disappointed” but conceded that they had paid the price for national issues.
He told The Lichfield Blog:
“We’re suffering from the success really of the Liberals nationally being in Government. We’ve been working very hard for many years to squeeze the Labour vote in Leomansley and this time they’ve turned their backs on us.
“It’s the old thing – if you vote Labour, you get a Tory.”
Click below to hear more from Ian Jackson:
