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PoliticsUK council by-elections: Conservatives lose seats, Reform UK gains
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The article reports on recent UK council by-elections, highlighting Conservative losses to the SNP in Aberdeenshire, an independent in Cheshire West and Chester, and the Liberal Democrats in Powys. Reform UK made significant gains, winning seats from independents in Torfaen and Powys and from Labour in Harborough. Other results include holds for Horwich & Blackrod First in Bolton, the Liberal Democrats in Cotswold and Gloucestershire, and Plaid Cymru in Powys. The Conservatives held a seat in Dorset despite a large swing to Reform UK, while Labour held Telford & Wrekin by a narrow margin. The article also lists forthcoming by-elections scheduled from July 7th to September 3rd across various UK councils, noting the current party holding each seat.
Source report
Aberdeenshire – Peterhead South & Cruden
| Party | Votes | Percentage | Change vs 2022 | |-------|-------|------------|----------------| | SNP | 742 | 36.5% | -10.0 | | Reform UK | 465 | 22.9% | +22.9 | | Conservatives | 432 | 21.3% | -20.0 | | Independent | 150 | 7.4% | +7.4 | | Independent | 132 | 6.5% | +6.5 | | Lib Dems | 56 | 2.8% | -9.4 | | Scottish Family Party | 54 | 2.7% | +2.7 |
Result: SNP gain from Conservatives
Bolton – Horwich North
| Party | Votes | Percentage | Change vs 2026 | |-------|-------|------------|----------------| | Horwich & Blackrod First | 1,186 | 50.0% | +10.8 | | Reform UK | 541 | 22.8% | -2.8 | | Labour | 343 | 14.5% | +3.4 | | Green Party | 189 | 8.0% | -4.1 | | Conservatives | 71 | 3.0% | -2.3 | | Lib Dems | 27 | 1.1% | -0.4 | | Independent | 13 | 0.5% | +0.5 |
Result: Horwich & Blackrod First hold
Cheshire West & Chester – Weaver & Cuddington
| Party | Votes | Percentage | Change vs 2023 | |-------|-------|------------|----------------| | Independent | 1,365 | 35.7% | +35.7 | | Conservatives | 974 | 25.5% | +3.7 | | Reform UK | 778 | 20.3% | +20.3 | | Labour | 564 | 14.7% | -5.8 | | Lib Dems | 142 | 3.7% | -11.9 |
Result: Independent gain from Conservatives
Cotswold – St Michael's
| Party | Votes | Percentage | Change vs 2023 | |-------|-------|------------|----------------| | Lib Dems | 344 | 58.4% | -10.0 | | Conservatives | 112 | 19.0% | -12.5 | | Reform UK | 91 | 15.4% | +15.4 | | Green Party | 27 | 4.6% | +4.6 | | Labour | 15 | 2.5% | +2.5 |
Result: Lib Dems hold
Dorset – St Leonards & St Ives
| Party | Votes | Percentage | Change vs 2024 | |-------|-------|------------|----------------| | Conservatives | 928 | 37.9% | -25.0 | | Reform UK | 823 | 33.6% | +33.6 | | Lib Dems | 629 | 25.7% | -11.4 | | Green Party | 68 | 7.8% | +2.8 |
Result: Conservatives hold
Gloucestershire – Cirencester Park
| Party | Votes | Percentage | Change vs 2025 | |-------|-------|------------|----------------| | Lib Dems | 1,369 | 58.7% | +6.6 | | Conservatives | 429 | 18.4% | +2.9 | | Reform UK | 366 | 15.7% | -5.7 | | Green Party | 111 | 4.8% | -1.2 | | Labour | 59 | 2.5% | -2.6 |
Result: Lib Dems hold
Harborough – Lutterworth East
| Party | Votes | Percentage | Change vs 2023 | |-------|-------|------------|----------------| | Reform UK | 403 | 28.2% | +21.5 | | Conservatives | 386 | 27.0% | +4.5 | | Labour | 271 | 19.0% | -13.4 | | Lib Dems | 270 | 18.9% | -11.6 | | Green Party | 97 | 6.8% | -0.9 |
Result: Reform UK gain from Labour
Powys – Glantwymyn
| Party | Votes | Percentage | |-------|-------|------------| | Plaid Cymru | 513 | 81.8% | | Reform UK | 63 | 10.0% | | Conservatives | 28 | 4.5% | | Lib Dems | 23 | 3.7% |
Plaid Cymru elected unopposed last time in 2022.
Result: Plaid Cymru hold
Powys – Llanyre with Nantmel
| Party | Votes | Percentage | Change vs 2022 | |-------|-------|------------|----------------| | Reform UK | 359 | 41.6% | +41.6 | | Lib Dems | 226 | 26.2% | -20.1 | | Conservatives | 210 | 24.3% | +24.3 | | Independent | 51 | 5.9% | +5.9 | | Green Party | 18 | 2.1% | +2.1 |
Result: Reform UK gain from an independent
Powys – Yscir with Honddu Isaf & Llandew
| Party | Votes | Percentage | Change vs 2022 | |-------|-------|------------|----------------| | Lib Dems | 297 | 39.7% | -1.1 | | Reform UK | 259 | 34.6% | +34.6 | | Plaid Cymru | 96 | 12.8% | +12.8 | | Conservatives | 68 | 9.1% | -50.2 | | Green Party | 15 | 2.0% | +2.0 | | Labour | 14 | 1.9% | +1.9 |
Result: Lib Dems gain from Conservatives
Telford & Wrekin – Malinslee & Dawley Bank
| Party | Votes | Percentage | Change vs 2023 | |-------|-------|------------|----------------| | Labour | 590 | 42.9% | -32.2 | | Reform UK | 569 | 41.4% | +41.4 | | Conservatives | 104 | 7.6% | -10.3 | | Green Party | 76 | 5.5% | +5.5 | | Lib Dems | 35 | 2.5% | -4.4 |
Result: Labour hold
Torfaen – Llantarnam
| Party | Votes | Percentage | Change vs 2022 | |-------|-------|------------|----------------| | Reform UK | 505 | 42.7% | +42.7 | | Labour | 362 | 30.6% | +3.4 | | Plaid Cymru | 190 | 16.1% | -1.6 | | Conservatives | 58 | 4.9% | +4.9 | | Green Party | 49 | 4.1% | -6.8 | | Lib Dems | 18 | 1.5% | +1.5 |
Result: Reform UK gain from an independent
Forthcoming Contests
July 7th
- Surrey – Haslemere (Lib Dem held)
- Waverley – Haslemere West (Lib Dem held)
July 9th
- Camden – Regents Park (Green Party held)
- Cardiff – Splott (Labour held)
- Flintshire – Argoed & New Brighton (Lib Dem held)
- Flintshire – Connah's Quay (Independent held)
- Gateshead – High Fell (Reform UK held)
- Gwynedd – Llanrug (Plaid Cymru held)
- Lambeth – Clapham Park (Green Party held)
- Lambeth – Streatham St Leonard's (Green Party held)
- Neath Port Talbot – Trebanos (Plaid Cymru held)
- North Norfolk – Suffield Park (Lib Dem held)
- Pembrokeshire – Pembroke Dock Market (Independent held)
- South Lanarkshire – Larkhall (Labour held)
- Stratford-on-Avon – Kinwarton (Lib Dem held)
- Vale of Glamorgan – Baruc (Plaid Cymru held)
July 16th
- Breckland – Dereham Toftwood (Independent held)
- Cambridgeshire – Ramsey and Bury (Reform UK held)
- Cherwell – Kidlington West (Lib Dem held)
- Norfolk – Old Catton (Reform UK held)
- Peterborough – Fletton & Woodston (Labour held)
- Rushmoor – Wellington (Labour held)
- South Staffordshire – Himley & Swindon (Conservative held)
- Stafford – Manor (Labour held)
July 23rd
- East Devon – Exmouth Brixington (Conservative held)
- Medway – Cuxton, Halling & Riverside (Conservative held)
- South Gloucestershire – Longwell Green (Conservative held)
July 30th
- Bolton – Rumworth (Labour held)
- Eastleigh – Hedge End South (Lib Dem held)
- Isle of Anglesey – Bro'r Llynnoedd (Plaid Cymru held)
- South Holland – Long Sutton (Independent held)
- Uttlesford – Great Dunmow North (Residents 4 Uttlesford held)
August 6th
- South Tyneside – Harton (Reform UK held)
September 3rd
- (No contests listed)
Source
Conservative HomeWestern
Part of this Story
UK Council By-Elections: Lib Dems and Reform UK Gain Seats from Conservatives