Blue murder in heartlands; Tory triumphs as voters turn against Labour.

Byline: By Adam Smith

LABOUR suffered a night of woe after being turfed out of some of its traditional Birmingham heartlands by the rampant Tories.

The party is now without a councillor in Erdington ward for the first time since 1983.

Victorious Bob Beauchamp, aged 65, turned a 800 vote deficit in 2004 into a 1,491 majority during a miserable night for Labour across the parliamentary constituency's four wards.

Coun Beauchamp said: "This is a massive win for the Conservatives and to hold all three Erdington ward seats for the first time in 25 years proves voters trust us to deliver.

"I've been around a long time in local politics and remember putting up signs on lampposts during that election in 1983 so this is extra special for me."

Mr Beauchamp, who runs a garage at Spring Lane, Erdington, said: "Now I am of retirement age I can give the job the time it deserves."

The trend of Labour losses continued across the wider Erdington constituency with Matt Bennett becoming the first Tory to win Stockland Green ward in 22 years.

Coun Bennett, who beat Penny Holbrook, said: "This is a truly amazing night for the Conservatives and I am truly humbled to be elected.

"I want to thank every person who voted for me and I will not let them down."

Ms Holbrook, who represented Stockland Green for five years, said: "We are obviously disappointed with this result but we still have two Labour councillors in Stockland Green and I am going nowhere.

"We know exactly what promises the Conservatives have made to hundreds of people in Stockland Green and we are looking forward to them keeping them."

Coun Ann Holtom, who defected from Labour to the Liberal Democrats in 2006, piled on the misery for her former party by holding Tyburn ward.

She said: "I am delighted to have kept this seat and to see the voters have recognised how much effort the Liberal Democrats have put in around Tyburn."

And 18-year-old Conservative candidate Gary Sambrook came within a whisker of winning safe Labour seat Kingstanding.

Coun Catherine Grundy withstood a massive swing to the Tories to win a recount by just 70 votes.

The National Front's vote in Kingstanding was down and the BNP also failed to mount a real challenge.

Coun Grundy said: "There was a low turn out and we have to address that but the result has shown the people of Kingstanding still trust Labour to deliver.

"We have a lot of work to do for Kingstanding and are working on a new regeneration plan."

Conservative constituency spokesman for Erdington, Coun Robert Alden, said: "The Stockland Green result was amazing and to nearly nick Kingstanding was just amazing.

"It was a phenomenal effort. Labour put up a massive effort but to no effect."

CAPTION(S):

RELIEF...one glimmer of sunshine for Labour as Coun Catherine Grundy holds on. Photo ref: JFR010508COUNT-12; MIXED FORTUNES... (from left) the Lib Dems Ann Holtom and Labour's Penny Holbrook who was unseated by the Conservative Matt Bennett.; OVERJOYED... victorious Bob Beauchamp.