The Liberal Democrats have become the party of choice for wealthy homeowners, according to new research from a national firm of estate agents.

Keller Williams UK found that of the 124 districts, unitary and borough councils of England that took part in local elections earlier this month, those under the control of the Lib Dems have the highest average house prices.

The average price in Lib Dem ruled areas is £430,141, a 13.2 per cent rise since 2019’s general election, while the average in Conservative held areas is £283,512 — a -1.7 per cent drop.

Labour-held areas have an average house price of £193,487, an average increase of 8.3 per cent since 2019. In this same period, the average house price for the whole of England has gone up by 9.5 per cent to £268,291, while in St Albans it has increased by 11.1 per cent to £554,595.

During the recent local elections, 25 of the partaking districts changed political hands; those in which the Lib Dems took over have an average house price of £554,595 (due to St Albans being the only one), compared to £240,542 in areas where the Tories have recently gained control.

St Albans has followed this pattern, with Lib Dems picking up six seats to win overall control of the district council with a total of 30 councillors. In contrast, the Conservatives lost one seat, dropping to 23 councillors. Lib Dem MP Daisy Cooper also unseated Tory stalwart Anne Main at the last general election.

Ben Taylor, CEO of Keller Williams UK, said: “This data is quite remarkable simply because it rubs against the broad preconception that the Conservative Party are the party of choice for the rich and wealthy.

"While national prices are rising and the wider market is booming like never before, these Tory-controlled areas are actually declining in value. An interesting consideration when thinking about where to buy.”