Reform UK sets new election record as Conservative vote collapses

Michelle Dewberry lists out the councillors defecting from the Tories to Reform UK | 

Reform celebrated a triple-victory in this week’s by-elections

Reform UK has broken new ground in a fresh wave of council by-elections as it bagged a record number of votes in a key seat.

Nigel Farage’s party battled it out in seven by-elections across the country this week.

 

In a historic victory, Reform UK secured 65.3 per cent of the vote in Redcar & Cleveland Council’s by-election in the Skelton East ward, surpassing its previous record of 65.1 per cent in Thornley & Wheatley Hill earlier this year.

Reform UK gained the seat from the Tories, who crashed to just 13.9 per cent, while Labour took home 19.2 per cent of votes, and just 1.5 per cent went to the Liberal Democrats.

The teal surge comes just days after the Conservative Party Conference, as Kemi Badenoch’s party continues to fall behind in national voting intention polls.

Skelton East – North Yorkshire

Reform swept to victory in the Skelton East ward, with candidate Craig Peter Holmes being elected.

The seat became vacant following the resignation of Conservative Councillor Andy Oliver.

Reacting to the by-election victory, Reform’s Head of Policy, Zia Yusuf, wrote to X: “So literally the day after Kemi’s ‘turning point speech’, Reform wins its biggest vote share in a council by-election ever.

“Sixty-five per cent. In a previously ‘safe’ Tory seat. The Tory Party is dead.”

Reform MP Lee Anderson described it as an “incredible result”.

“This is just two days after Kemi’s speech,” Mr Anderson added.

“It may or may not have been a good speech to the dwindling Tory faithful but no one outside the room believes her. Been there done that.”

Luke Tryl, executive director of More in Common, said the scale of the votes suggests supporters of Mr Farage’s party are “highly motivated to vote even in usually low turnout contests”.

He said: “Aside from the scale of this (!) highlights something else about Reform’s vote – whereas Republican’s have struggled to turn out the MAGA base in low stakes elections, Reform voters are clearly highly motivated to vote even in usually low turnout contests.”

Nigel Farage’s party celebrated a record number of votes in this week’s by-elections

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Lloyds & Corby Village – Northamptonshire

Reform successfully kept hold of its seat in the Lloyds & Corby Village ward in Northamptonshire, with candidate Lee Duffy bagging 38.5 per cent of votes.

Labour, however, followed closely behind, with 32.4 per cent.

Mr Duffy will join Labour Councillor Mark Pengelly to serve the ward.

The full results are:

Reform: 38.5 per cent
Labour: 32.4 per cent
Green: 18.9 per cent
Lib Dem: 5.8 per cent
Conservative 4.4 per cent

Lee Duffy (middle) was elected in the Lloyds and Corby Village ward after scooping the majority of votes

 | FACEBOOK/REFORM UK CORBY AND EAST NORTHAMPTONSHIRE BRANCH

Kenn Valley – Devon

In another blow to the Conservatives, the Liberal Democrats had a shock by-election win in Shadow Chancellor Mel Stride’s constituency, where candidate Kevin Smith was elected.

The Tory vote, meanwhile, collapsed to just under 10 per cent.

The Liberal Democrats also held seats in the Yateley West ward in Hart and in Bath and North East Somerset.

Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey said: “A stonker of a night for us. Three huge wins, Reform nowhere near us and the Tories down to ten percent in Mel Stride’s own seat.

“We are the only party taking Farage on and the only party beating him.”

A Liberal Democrat source added: “The Conservatives are in meltdown in the Shadow Chancellor’s own backyard.

“When Mel Stride pledged cuts at Conservative Party Conference, we didn’t realise his first cut would be to the Tory vote in his own seat.”

The full results were:

Lib Dem: 50.4 per cent
Reform: 23.1 per cent
Conservative: 9.6 per cent
Independent: 8.2 per cent
Green: 5.5 per cent
Labour: 2.7 per cent
Independent: 0.5 per cent

Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey said it was a ‘stonker of a night’ for his party

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Widcombe & Lyncombe – Bath

The Lib Dems successfully kept hold of their seat in the Widcombe & Lyncombe ward in Bath, Somerset, where candidate Stuart Pieter Bridge saw victory.

The by-election was triggered following the resignation of Councillor Deborah Collin.

The full results are:

Lib Dem: 44.4 per cent
Green: 15.4 per cent
Labour: 12.2 per cent
Reform: 11.9 per cent
Conservative: 8.6 per cent
Independent: 4.8 per cent
Independent: 2.6 per cent

Yateley West – Hampshire

In a third victory for the Lib Dems, the party kept its seat in the Yateley West ward in Hampshire, scooping 54.7 per cent of votes.

Reform came in second place however, scooping 27.9 per cent.

The full results are:

Lib Dem: 54.7 per cent
Reform: 27.9 per cent
Conservatives: 17.3 per cent

Bretforton & Offenham – Worcestershire

Reform also gained Bretforton & Offenham from the Conservatives in the Wychavon District of Worcestershire.

Matthew Winfield, standing for the party, took home 43.5 per cent of the vote, more than double the total for the Tories.

The full results are:

Reform: 43.5 per cent
Green: 25.9 per cent
Conservatives: 20.1 per cent
Labour: four per cent
Lib Dem: 3.8 per cent
Independent: 1.5 per cent
Independent: 1.2 per cent

 | FACEBOOK/REFORM UK DROITWICH AND EVESHAM

Aughton & Holborn – West Lancashire

It was Our West Lancashire which saw victory in Aughton & Holborn, gaining the seat from Labour with 35.5 per cent of votes.
Reform candidate Aaron Body was not far behind, however, with 24.1 per cent.
The full results are:

Our West Lancashire: 35.5 per cent
Reform: 24.1 per cent
Labour: 19.4 per cent
Conservatives: 14.9 per cent
Green: 3.9 per cent
Lib Dem: 2.1 per cent