Peter Williams, originally from St Day but now resident in Perranaworthal, won the Mabe by election last night by the slimmest of margins.*The heading derives from a Western Morning News article today but Peter is much more than a former tin miner. A successful business man he also incorporated Peter Williams Flooring and Ceilings Ltd which he sold recently and which still retains his name. He was responsible for the first shot blasting of ships decks at the docks in Falmouth something that is continued by his sons one of whom owns and runs HomeShed in Penryn (carpets, floorings, soft furnishings and furniture) and another owns and runs Euro Tools with branches in Redruth, St Austell and Helston. Peter spends his time assisting each of them but is now looking forward to the challenge of being a Cornwall Councillor. He comments that he views problematic issues on the basis of not what can't be done but on how it could be done. Congratulations to Peter and to his backup team in Camborne & Redruth as well as in Truro and Falmouth. The full results are:
Conservatives: 406
Liberal Democrats 405
UKIP 271
Labour 107
Mebyon Kernow 58
Turnout was 29.6% and the swing to the Conservatives from UKIP was a little over 5%.