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PoliticsUK council by-elections: Conservatives lose seats, Reform UK gains ground
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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 gained seats from independents in Torfaen and Powys, and from Labour in Harborough. Detailed results are provided for 12 contests, including vote shares and changes from previous elections. The piece also lists forthcoming by-elections scheduled from July 7th to July 30th, noting the current holding party for each seat. The data shows significant swings, with Reform UK emerging as a strong challenger in multiple wards, while the Conservatives and Labour face losses. The report is sourced from Conservative Home, a UK conservative political website.
Source report
Aberdeenshire – Peterhead South & Cruden
SNP gain from Conservatives
| Party | Votes | Share | 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 |
Figures for first preferences.
Bolton – Horwich North
Horwich & Blackrod First hold
| Party | Votes | Share | 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 |
Cheshire West & Chester – Weaver & Cuddington
Independent gain from Conservatives
| Party | Votes | Share | 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 |
Cotswold – St Michael's
Lib Dems hold
| Party | Votes | Share | 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 |
Dorset – St Leonards & St Ives
Conservatives hold
| Party | Votes | Share | 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 |
Gloucestershire – Cirencester Park
Lib Dems hold
| Party | Votes | Share | 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 |
Harborough – Lutterworth East
Reform UK gain from Labour
| Party | Votes | Share | 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 |
Powys – Glantwymyn
Plaid Cymru hold
| Party | Votes | Share | |-------|-------|-------| | 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.
Powys – Llanyre with Nantmel
Reform UK gain from an independent
| Party | Votes | Share | 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 |
Powys – Yscir with Honddu Isaf & Llandew
Lib Dems gain from Conservatives
| Party | Votes | Share | 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 |
Telford & Wrekin – Malinslee & Dawley Bank
Labour hold
| Party | Votes | Share | 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 |
Torfaen – Llantarnam
Reform UK gain from an independent
| Party | Votes | Share | 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 |
Forthcoming Contests
July 7th
| Ward | Held by | |------|---------| | Surrey – Haslemere | Lib Dem | | Waverley – Haslemere West | Lib Dem |
July 9th
| Ward | Held by | |------|---------| | Camden – Regents Park | Green Party | | Cardiff – Splott | Labour | | Flintshire – Argoed & New Brighton | Lib Dem | | Flintshire – Connah's Quay | Independent | | Gateshead – High Fell | Reform UK | | Gwynedd – Llanrug | Plaid Cymru | | Lambeth – Clapham Park | Green Party | | Lambeth – Streatham St Leonard's | Green Party | | Neath Port Talbot – Trebanos | Plaid Cymru | | North Norfolk – Suffield Park | Lib Dem | | Pembrokeshire – Pembroke Dock Market | Independent | | South Lanarkshire – Larkhall | Labour | | Stratford-on-Avon – Kinwarton | Lib Dem | | Vale of Glamorgan – Baruc | Plaid Cymru |
July 16th
| Ward | Held by | |------|---------| | Breckland – Dereham Toftwood | Independent | | Cambridgeshire – Ramsey and Bury | Reform UK | | Cherwell – Kidlington West | Lib Dem | | Norfolk – Old Catton | Reform UK | | Peterborough – Fletton & Woodston | Labour | | Rushmoor – Wellington | Labour | | South Staffordshire – Himley & Swindon | Conservative | | Stafford – Manor | Labour |
July 23rd
| Ward | Held by | |------|---------| | East Devon – Exmouth Brixington | Conservative | | Medway – Cuxton, Halling & Riverside | Conservative | | South Gloucestershire – Longwell Green | Conservative | | Thurrock – Grays Riverside | Reform UK | | Thurrock – Grays Town | Reform UK |
July 30th
| Ward | Held by | |------|---------| | Bolton – Rumworth | Labour | | Eastleigh – Hedge End South | Lib Dem | | Isle of Anglesey – Bro'r Llynnoedd | Plaid Cymru | | South Holland – Long Sutton | Independent | | Uttlesford – Great Dunmow North | Residents 4 Uttlesford |
Source
Conservative HomeWestern
Part of this Story
UK Council By-Elections: Lib Dems and Reform UK Gain Seats from Conservatives