Liberal Democrats enjoyed a successful month at the polls in November. According to the latest figures, the Liberal Democrats gained more seats than the Conservatives whilst Labour remained in the doldrums with a net loss.

The Lib Dems' most successful night was on Thursday 30 November when the party picked up five seats - three from Labour and two from the Independents. The only loss on that day was to the Conservatives in Havant. Ironically, at the start of the month the Lib Dems gained a seat from the Conservatives on the same council.

The Lib Dems ended the month with a net gain of six seats, while the Conservatives have a net gain of four. Labour's net losses stood at three whilst the Independents lost seven and had no gains.

The by-elections are a boost for the Liberal Democrats with the local elections in May 2007 now on the horizon. These will be the biggest set of local elections in the four year cycle.

The results indicate that voters have not been fooled by Cameron's spin and lack of substance. People don't believe Conservative claims to be committed to the environment are anything other than a cynical attempt to create a different image for themselves.

Their campaign against NHS cuts is equally unbelievable, given how they voted against the national insurance increase in 2002 that has boosted NHS spending to its current level. The NHS would be almost £10 billion worse off this year (or more than £1 million an hour) if the Tories had had their way! Harlow's Liberal Democrat leader Cllr Chris Millington said,

"The November by-election contests show that in many Labour areas, the Lib Dems are the main challengers. But the results also show we can pick up seats in areas as diverse as North London, Wiltshire, Maidstone and Newcastle upon Tyne.

The Conservatives however, failed to pick up any seats at all from Labour. It is the Liberal Democrats who are challenging Labour and winning.

The people are not being taken in by David Cameron's platitudes and are clearly unconvinced by the Conservatives' claims that they are committed to the environment.

People remember how the Conservatives opposed green taxation before the last general election. They find their sudden conversion to the environment completely unconvincing."