Mark Pack

I am an author and have been serving as the President of the Liberal Democrats since January 2020. My published works include titles like "Polling UnPacked: The History, Uses and Abuses of Political Opinion Polls," "101 Ways To Win An Election," and "Bad News: What the Headlines Don’t Tell Us." Additionally, I host the podcast "Never Mind The Bar Charts." From 2000 to 2009, I worked with the Liberal Democrats, where I held the role of Head of Innovations and managed the party’s digital and data efforts during the 2001 and 2005 general elections. In 2015, I collaborated with David Howarth to produce an important pamphlet outlining the party’s strategy: "The 20% Strategy: Building a Core Vote for the Liberal Democrats." I also played a key role in founding and later co-editing Liberal Democrat Voice, and I currently serve as the editor of Liberal Democrat Newswire, a monthly newsletter dedicated to providing updates about the Liberal Democrats.

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Has Reform UK shed a fourth councillor, Andrew Kilburn?

4 days ago | markpack.org.uk | Mark Pack

It looks like Andrew Kilburn is now the fourth councillor elected with Reform UK next to their name on the ballot papers in the local elections but now no longer a Reform councillor. Andrew Kilburn was elected for Benfieldside ward in County Durham on 1 May 2025, and a page for him appeared on the County Durham Council website. But that page has since gone.
Councillor joins the Lib Dems in Elmbridge

6 days ago | markpack.org.uk | Mark Pack

Elmbridge Liberal Democrats report:Cllr Pippa Graeme, who has served as the councillor for Weybridge & St. George’s ward at Elmbridge Borough Council since May 2023, has announced her decision to leave the Weybridge & St. George’s Independents and join the Liberal Democrats.
Does the public know who did best in the local elections?

6 days ago | markpack.org.uk | Mark Pack

If you are reading this post, the chances are you can correctly recite the order in which the five main parties finished in the 2025 local elections, whether by seat number, council control or vote share. (And I bet a good number of you can get the difference between the PNS and NEV vote share figures too.)But what does the public know? Find Out Now has asked just this and here are the results:Two-thirds got it right that Reform UK came out top on number of seats.
Council by-election results scorecard 2025-2026

6 days ago | markpack.org.uk | Mark Pack

Here’s the tally of seats changing hands in principal authority council by-elections held between the May 2025 and the May 2026 local elections:ConLabLibDemGreenReformSNPPlaidInd/OtherNetCon–––––––0Lab–––-1(0/-1)–––-1LibDem––[1]–––––0Grn–––––––0Ref–+1(+1/0)–––––+1SNP–––––––0Plaid–––––––0Ind/Oth–––––––0The net totals in the right hand column give the overall political lay of the land, as shown by local council by-election results.
Successful Lib Dem defence kicks off new round of council by-elections

6 days ago | markpack.org.uk | Mark Pack

Two principal authority council by-elections this week, kicking off the new cycle of by-elections after the big May round of normal contests. Congratulations to new councillor Mark Harding and the team. With Labour previously having finished second in the ward, it is worth noting that the result is a 14% swing from Labour to Lib Dem. Thank you to Stephen Gow for being the Liberal Democrat candidate here.
Reform sheds a third councillor: Desmond Clarke

1 week ago | markpack.org.uk | Mark Pack

After the news about Donna Edmunds and Luke Shingler being elected as Reform UK councillors but no longer representing the party, we have a third story. This time it is Desmond Clarke, elected for Newark West ward in Nottinghamshire. Elected last Thursday under the Reform UK banner, he is now resigning from the council, forcing a by-election.
Reform loses second councillor since elections, Luke Shingler

1 week ago | markpack.org.uk | Mark Pack

The May 2025 local elections were less than a week ago but Reform UK has now lost its second councillor since then after Luke Shingler switched to independents. The first councillor to go was Donna Edmunds, suspended by Reform UK before she left the party. The new departure, Luke Shingler, was elected as a Reform UK candidate for Galley Common ward, Warwickshire. But he is now listed as an independent councillor by the council.
Local elections 2025: the Lib Dem verdict

1 week ago | markpack.org.uk | Mark Pack

The latest episode of Never Mind The Bar Charts saw me team up with John Potter and the Lib Dem Pod team to discuss the local elections. How did they go for the Liberal Democrats and what lessons are there for the party? Feedback very welcome, and do share this podcast with others who you think may enjoy it. Some highlights from the local election results. Lib Dem Pod. Theme tune by Hugo Lee. New to listening to podcasts? Here are some tips on how to listen to podcasts.
Reform suspends its new councillor, Donna Edmunds

1 week ago | markpack.org.uk | Mark Pack

Before polling day, I covered the extreme and unpleasant views of Donna Edmunds, then a council candidate for Reform UK. She was elected on Thursday, but is now already an ex-Reform councillor as she has posted about being suspended by the party. Not, however, for those views but for expressing her desire to defect to another party.
Mike Ross reacts to election results

1 week ago | markpack.org.uk | Mark Pack

Sadly, Mike Ross did not quite make it in the election for Mayor of Hull and East Riding. But full credit to him for his response to the election results:I have had some time to sleep on the results and reflect on this set of elections. It is still early days, but there already looks like some points that stand out from what happened across the country on Thursday. Voters were rejecting the two main parties. The Conservatives and Labour both saw their support and numbers of councillors collapse.