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Stephen Stratham (1953-) was a British UKIP politician and leader of the Weedle district council from 21 April 2014.

Biography[]

Stephen Stratham was born in Weedle, Yorkshire in 1953, the son of Anthony and Clara Stratham. He came from a middle-class Tory background, and he was a member of the Conservative Party until the 2000s, when the Brexiteer movement gained steam and UKIP began to rise in popularity. In 2014, Stratham led the Weedle chapter of UKIP at that year's district council election, placing in second with 20.55% of the vote and 6/30 seats; the Tories won 32.19% and 10/30 seats, the Liberal Democrats won 13.48% and 4/30 seats, the Labour Party won 10.68% and 3/30 seats, the Liberal Party won 10.06% and 3/30 seats, the Greens won 8.2% and 3/30 seats, and the SDP won 4.84% and 1/30 seats. Weedle's political scene was unusual in that several minor parties were represented; suburban and semi-rural Weedle had historically been a battleground for the Tories and the original Liberal Party before rising anti-immigrant and Eurosceptic sentiment led to an upsurge in support for alternatives to the Tories and Labour.

Tenure[]

Stratham was elected leader of the council with 18 votes to Tory leader Ed Grimsted's 11, receiving the backing of Labour, the Greens, the Lib Dems, and the Liberals to boot the Tories from power. Under Stratham, the council voted 18-4 for a bus transport service, 18-10 to abolish the consumption tax, 14-10 to legalize prostitution, 18-5 for a pollution tax, 18-10 for a school bus tax, and 17-7 against a coffee tax.

On 27 April 2015, new elections were held to the district council. The Tories fell to 26.37% and 8/30 seats, UKIP rose to 21.1% and 6/30 seats, the Liberals rose to 15.4% and 5/30 seats, Labour rose to 11.15% and 3/30 seats, the Lib Dems fell to 9.65% and 3/30 seats, the Greens rose to 8.91% and 3/30 seats, and the SDP rose to 7.42% and 2/30 seats.

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