Lawrence Gillies, left, and Mac Brown were elected in the Salisbury Milford by-elections

Lib Dems hold on to Salisbury Milford seats in crucial by-elections

Jamie JonesOctober 16, 20260 Comment0

LIBERAL Democrats in Salisbury are celebrating after holding on to seats on both county and city councils yesterday (October 15).

Voters went to the polls on Thursday to elect new Wiltshire Council and Salisbury City Council representatives for the Salisbury Milford seats following the resignation of Alan Baylis for personal reasons.

It was an important by-election, with defeat for the Lib Dems possibly leading to a challenge to their rule at Wiltshire Council.

However, when ballots were counted, Liberal Democrats Mac Brown and Lawrence Gillies were elected, following a campaign the party said was “focused on listening to residents, standing up for the local community and delivering better services for Salisbury”.

Following the result Cllr Ian Thorn, leader of Wiltshire Council’s Liberal Democrat group, said: “This is a fantastic result for the Liberal Democrats and a real vote of confidence in the work we are doing to lead Wiltshire Council. We are focused on delivering for residents, protecting local services and making sure our communities get a fair deal.

“A huge thank you to everyone who voted for our hard-working Lib Dem candidates, including Labour and Green supporters who successfully lent their votes to stop the Conservatives and their Reform allies from regaining control.

“Mac and Lawrence have worked hard to earn the trust of Milford residents, and I congratulate them both. We will keep listening, keep working hard and keep putting local people at the heart of the decisions we make.”

Fellow Lib Dem Cllr Sam Charleston, leader of Salisbury City Council, said: “I’m absolutely delighted with this result. It is a brilliant endorsement of the work Liberal Democrats are doing in Salisbury and of our commitment to putting residents first.

“I’m particularly pleased to welcome Lawrence to the city council. I’m looking forward to working with him to make sure Milford residents have a strong voice, and to continuing to build a closer working relationship between Salisbury City Council and Wiltshire Council for the benefit of our city.”

Councillor Alan Bayliss has resigned from both Wiltshire and Salisbury City Councils. Wiltshire Council

Councillor Alan Bayliss resigned from both Wiltshire and Salisbury City Councils. Wiltshire Council

Victoria Charleston, the Liberal Democrat prospective parliamentary candidate for Salisbury and South Wiltshire, said: “These results show the enthusiasm for the Liberal Democrats here in Salisbury, and recognise the hard work our councillors, candidates and volunteers put in every day in our communities.

“People want representatives who will listen to them, take their concerns seriously and work hard to get things done. That is what our local team is committed to doing, whether it’s standing up for local services, tackling the cost of living or protecting the things that make Salisbury and South Wiltshire such a special place to live.

“A huge thank you to everyone who voted for us, delivered leaflets, knocked on doors and gave up their time to support the campaign. These victories belong to the whole team, and we will keep working hard to earn the trust of residents right across our area.”