Labour says its performance in Watford elections has bucked the national trend after it held off a strong challenge from the Liberal Democrats' parliamentary candidate.

Cllr Asif Khan won the new North Watford division with 1,690 votes, holding the area - previously Anne Joynes' Callowland and Leggatts division - for his party.

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He narrowly beat Liberal Democrat hopeful Ian Stotesbury, who is also his party's parliamentary candidate for June 8, who polled 1,545 votes.

Mr Stotesbury also failed to unseat Labour in Watford Borough Council's Leggatts by-election, where he came second to Richard Smith with 762 to the Labour candidate's 934.

Labour's Nigel Bell held his West Watford county council division more emphatically with 2,062 votes to his nearest challenger Paul Arnett's 747 votes for the Lib Dems.

Labour agent Mike Jackson told us: "Labour has performed really well, better than the national trend. We've won North Watford which has been hardest fought political battle of recent years.

"It's a disaster for Lib Dem parliamentary candidate Ian who staked his reputation on winning this seat and has now lost just five weeks before the General Election.

"Asif Kahn will be a great county councillor."

He added: "Labour holding the Leggatts ward confirms enduring strength in Watford and bodes well for the general election in five weeks’ time. The failure of Ian Stotesbury to win this seat means he will be a three-time loser after the General Election."

Liberal Democrat Stephen Giles-Medhurst disputed Labour's claims and said: “We have doubled our vote so this is not a disaster.

"Our vote has gone massively up in a Labour heartland. It is a massive swing to us in a division Labour has always held.

"We are feeling positive about the general election, our candidate lives in Watford and is well known.”

Mr Stotesbury said he was pleased to have doubled his party's vote in Labour heartlands, claiming: "This is a positive result for the Lib Dems."