Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey played chess with Hull City Council leader Mike Ross as the party hopes to make a winning move and retain control of the authority
The Liberal Democrats have launched their local election campaign in Hull ahead of polling day on May 7. Next month, one third of Hull City Council‘s seats will be up for grabs.
Currently, the Lib Dems run the council with a majority of just one. They hold 29 seats, with the other 28 largely belonging the Labour Party, along with a handful of independents also in the Guildhall.
The party’s leader, Sir Ed Davey, returned to Hull to help kick-start the campaign. He previously visited last year when Hull City Council leader Mike Ross was in the race to become the first elected Mayor of Hull and East Yorkshire. Sir Ed was joined by sitting Lib Dem councillors and hopeful candidates in Pearson Park.
The party leader, famed for his unusual stunts, played a game of chess with Cllr Ross. After putting Cllr Ross in checkmate, Sir Ed told Hull Live: “In Hull, the Liberal Democrats have always focused on the basics, getting the basics right. We’re here in a beautiful park, we’ve made sure that our parks are a lot better and more accessible for families and pensioners.
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“We’ve also done things like cracking down on crime, we’ve been the ones making sure crime prevention is a big part of what the council does. We’ve got a strong environmental record, and getting those basics right is what people want.”
Cllr Ross added: “On the doorsteps, people are certainly saying they appreciate the work we’ve done since we took control. They like what we’ve done in terms of making the council a more listening council, getting the basics done.”
The Lib Dems took control of the council in 2022 following a decade of Labour rule. Ever since, the two parties have held the vast majority of the seats in the council.
Sir Ed has said he thinks this could change at this coming election. “The fight now in Hull is a two-way fight and it’s between the Liberal Democrats and Reform,” he said.
Cllr Ross added: “People who are happy with what we’ve done, and want to stop Reform, will be putting their faith in us at this election.” The council leader suggested that in addition to traditional Lib Dem voters, he expects “lifelong Labour and Green voters” to support the Lib Dems in an effort to prevent Reform from gaining seats.
Hull City Council‘s current political weighting is as follows:
- 29 – Liberal Democrats
- 23 – Labour Party
- 5 – Independent
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