David Nellist and his Socialist Alternative Party promised to make a real impact on the Coventry political scene after taking another seat at yesterday’s council elections.

Part-time librarian Karen McKay took the St Michaels ward from sitting Conservative councillor Shabbir Ahmed and beating former Labour member Neil Rider who was defeated for the second successive election.

Nellist, who was elected last year, said the doubling of numbers would make a big difference to his party’s voice.

He said:

"And now we are two. I am very pleased indeed. Karen worked exceptionally hard as did all our members and we are now the third party in the city.

"We will be able to make a bigger fuss about all the things Labour are doing like privatising housing, privatising social services and leaving us with one privately owned hospital instead of two NHS ones. The council chamber will be a lot different and the people will be well represented."

McKay, who was elected with a 78 majority, said the result meant voters for her party would get a better deal.

She said:

"We have established ourselves in Coventry and are now very much the third party. It means now we will be classed as a party and that will allow us to do far more for the people of the area."

Prominent Labour councillor Tony Skipper also lost out, beaten in his Earlsdon ward by Conservative Andrew Matchett.

Skipper said the result was not surprising but urged Labour supporters to make sure that Lindlsey Harvard was re-elected to the ward next year.

"Being realistic, we are not surprised that the Tories have won a seat back because Earlsdon has not been a Labour stronghold. But it is still a sad loss for us."

Labour maintained its stranglehold on the council with 44 seats with the Conservatives having eight members and two for Nellist’s party.