After a very poor showing in the local elections in Swindon, the borough’s Labour politicians are thinking hard about where the party goes from here.

Labour saw any hope of challenging the Conservatives – who have been in charge of the borough council for nearly 20 years – disappear on Friday. The ruling Tory group increased its majority in the chamber from three seats to 15, taking some long-standing Labour wards in the process.

But amid the shock and gloom of losing in wards such as Penhill & Upper Stratton, Rodbourne Cheney and Central, and losing veteran councillor Steve Allsopp in Liden, Eldene and Park South, there were a couple of bright spots.

Councillor Jane Milner-Barry hugely increased her majority in Old Town, which was a ward won by the Conservatives in 2019 and which had been a real target for them.

Labour also won Eastcott, taking Lib Dem leader Stan Pajak’s seat for the first time ever – meaning Labour councillors sit in all three seats there.

The group's leader in the town said these results mirrored the national picture – the party doing well in cities but losing in some of its previous strongholds in the north of England.

Councillor Jim Grant said: “Old Town is Swindon’s equivalent of a London borough – and our red wall seats are similar to some of the industrial towns where Labour has done poorly.”

Coun Grant said it was important that the party nationally and in Swindon understood why it wasn’t appealing in its traditional areas.

He said: “The most important issue at any local election is the national picture and clearly week we faced an incumbent central government riding high on a successful vaccination rollout campaign.

“The political world has changed since 2019 and Labour does not appear to have found policies and messages which are clear sighted and which the public can trust.

"Until we do the electorate will continue to reject us.”

Coun Grant said he thought the party locally had promised good, sensible achievable policies to improve Swindon.

He said: “Locally, we believe the Tories have failed to deliver on town centre regeneration, potholes, traffic delays, air quality, the Oasis. But are our solutions to those problems hitting home with voters?

“I still think we had good policies on the Oasis, on fly-tipping, on housing. But we have to find out whether it’s that we aren’t getting though, perhaps drowned out by Covid and the vaccination programme or whether the policies are wrong or just not the things people want addressing.

He said he was launching a new campaign – called Labour Listens.

“The only way we can find answers to these questions is by asking the people of Swindon what they think," said Coun Grant. "Only by knowing what they think can we develop policies both nationally and locally which the public can support.

“I am instigating a Labour Listens campaign where Labour councillors and members across the borough will conduct a large-scale consultation with the people of Swindon to find out what their concerns and how we can address them.

“We need to re-engage with people and, where we have lost their trust, show them that we can be trusted to improve their lives both locally and nationally. It’s a very long haul but unless we begin such a listening process we will continue to be second best in the eyes of the public.

“Ten years ago, Labour losing in Penhill and winning in Old Town would have seemed impossible.

"But that’s what happened last Thursday. The political world has changed and recognising that the political world has changed is the first step of the Labour fightback, which starts now.”

Another senior Labour figure, Jim Robbins, said there were issues where the two different demographics Labour need to attract were in step.

He said: “People living in Old Town might be younger than families in Penhill or Rodbourne Cheney but people in both areas are equally affected by insecure employment, by the gig economy or zero hours contracts.

"People need good secure and affordable housing, whether they’re renting a flat in Old Town or in a council house in Penhill or a privately rented house in Central ward.

“If we address these things then I think we can appeal in both places like Old Town and Central ward.”

'Work over the years helped us defend seats'

LABOUR councillors pointed out the parties defending their seats seemed to benefit in the elections last week. 

The party's leader in the town Jim Grant said: “Boris Johnson did well. I think he’s been boosted by a successful vaccine rollout – but Labour in Wales did as well as it’s ever done in elections there under the leadership of first minister Mark Drakeford, and Nicola Sturgeon’s SNP also did very well. 

“In Swindon, where we had councillor defending their seats they won – Ray Ballman in Gorse Hill in Pinehurst, Kevin Small in Mannington & Western and Jane Milner-Barry in Old Town kept their seats. 

“There’s a difference, because Jane really increased her majority and Ray and Kevin held on but had their majorities cut quite badly – built the work they’ve done over years as a local councillor has helped them hold their seat on a day when Labour has struggled everywhere. 

“It seems that there was a benefit to being the incumbent nearly everywhere this year.” 

Mannington & Western councillor Jim Robbins said: “The personal relationship the sitting councillors have with their residents has made a difference in these wards. 

“I think that’s something we can try and build on."

By-election is early chance to test water

Labour will have an early opportunity to see whether it can reconnect with voters in Swindon. 

The resignation of Independent Tory councillor Emma Faramarzi in Priory Vale has triggered a by-election on June 24.

Coun Faramarzi was elected in 2018 as a Conservative but left the group last year.

Sitting as an Independent Tory, she stood down this week when it became known there would have to be another election for a Police and Crime Commissioner and hoped to save money by having them held on the same date. 

The PCC election has been announced for August 19. 

Councillor Jim Grant said it was a chance to see how well Labour had been listening – although as a safe Conservative ward, he is party has an uphill battle. 
He said: “We will definitely be putting a candidate up. 

“It’s an early chance to see how well we are listening to the people of Swindon. 

"It might be quite an interesting election – I suspect the turnout will be very low, with the good people of Priory Vale being asked to get out and vote again just weeks having done so before.”