A similar pattern has been apparent since the late 80s. The Lib Dems do far better in local elections than they would do in a general election if held at the same time. Indeed since 1993 they have rarely polled less than the equivalent of a quarter of the national vote. Labour never does as well. The latest ICM London poll tells a similar story.
Labour thus has a long-standing local difficulty.
Labour's underperformance locally predates Labour's accession to power and even Tony Blair's elevation to the Labour leadership. The election panel study does not suggest that Labour voters were particularly likely to stay at home in last year's local elections, as certainly was the case in the European elections the following month. One reason why voters in England opt for the Lib Dems in local elections is because their pavement politics has helped convince voters that they will do a good job of standing up for local interests. Well, most likely, to stand up for their local interests. If this argument is correct, the implications for the new devolved institutions and for Labour are clear.