LABOUR held onto the vacant Earlsdon seat contested in yesterdays (Thursday) Coventry City Council by-election with Dr Lynnette Kelly gaining 43 per cent of the vote.
Coun Kelly filled the seat vacated by fellow Labourite Becky Gittins by gaining 1388 votes, 371 more than conservative candidate Zaid Rehman.
Liberal Democrat candidate Stephen Richmond finished third with 489 votes, while John Finlayson secured 193 votes for the Green Party.
Coventry Citizens Party leader Cameron Baxter gained 103 votes and Adam Harmsworth from the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition got 37 votes.
Becky Gittins decided to leave her seat on the city council last month to stand for the Labour parliamentary candidate in Clwyd East at the next general election.
Yesterdays by-election had a 27 per cent voter turnout.
