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UK council by-elections: Conservatives and Reform UK gain seats, Greens lose ground

Published Jul 10, 03:10 PM UTC

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This article reports on a series of UK council by-elections held in early July 2026, detailing gains, holds, and losses across multiple wards. Key results include the Conservatives gaining a seat from the Liberal Democrats in Stratford-on-Avon and from an independent in Pembrokeshire. Reform UK gained a seat from Labour in South Lanarkshire and from an independent in Flintshire. The Green Party lost seats to Labour in Camden and to the Liberal Democrats in Lambeth. Other notable outcomes include an independent gain from Plaid Cymru in Gwynedd, and holds for Labour in Cardiff, the Liberal Democrats in Flintshire and North Norfolk, and Plaid Cymru in Neath Port Talbot and Vale of Glamorgan. The article also lists forthcoming by-elections scheduled for July 16th and 23rd across various councils, including Breckland, Cambridgeshire, and East Devon.

Source report

Camden – Regents Park

| Party | Votes | Percentage | Change | |-------|-------|------------|--------| | Labour | 576 | 32.4% | -0.4 on May | | Green Party | 482 | 27.2% | -11.1 | | Independent | 407 | 22.9% | +22.9 | | Conservatives | 137 | 7.7% | -1.5 | | Reform UK | 123 | 6.9% | -5.0 | | Lib Dems | 51 | 2.9% | -3.5 |

Result: Labour gain from Green Party

Cardiff – Splott

| Party | Votes | Percentage | Change | |-------|-------|------------|--------| | Labour | 765 | 40.3% | +6.3 on 2024 | | Green Party | 678 | 35.7% | +18.4 | | Reform UK | 286 | 15.1% | +2.1 | | Lib Dems | 114 | 6.0% | -8.0 | | Conservatives | 54 | 2.8% | -0.0 |

Result: Labour hold

Flintshire – Argoed & New Brighton

| Party | Votes | Percentage | Change | |-------|-------|------------|--------| | Lib Dems | 614 | 39.8% | +3.8 on 2022 | | Reform UK | 490 | 31.7% | +31.7 | | Plaid Cymru | 191 | 12.4% | -2.3 | | Conservatives | 113 | 7.3% | +7.3 | | Labour | 113 | 7.3% | -17.2 | | Green Party | 23 | 1.5% | -8.8 |

Result: Lib Dems hold

Flintshire – Connah's Quay Central

| Party | Votes | Percentage | Change | |-------|-------|------------|--------| | Reform UK | 256 | 48.1% | +48.1 on 2022 | | Labour | 101 | 19.0% | -15.1 | | Plaid Cymru | 71 | 13.3% | +13.3 | | Independent | 59 | 11.1% | +11.1 | | Conservatives | 21 | 3.9% | +3.9 | | Green Party | 13 | 2.1% | +2.1 | | Independent | 11 | 2.4% | +2.4 |

Result: Reform UK gain from an independent

Gateshead – High Fell

| Party | Votes | Percentage | Change | |-------|-------|------------|--------| | Reform UK | 564 | 40.1% | -4.9 on May | | Labour | 559 | 39.7% | +11.2 | | Lib Dems | 98 | 7.0% | -2.2 | | Conservatives | 79 | 5.6% | +5.6 | | Green Party | 71 | 5.0% | -8.7 | | Trade Unions and Socialist Coalition | 36 | 2.6% | -1.0 |

Result: Reform UK hold

Gwynedd – Llanrug

| Party | Votes | Percentage | Change | |-------|-------|------------|--------| | Independent | 394 | 57.4% | — | | Plaid Cymru | 362 | 38.2% | — | | Reform UK | 17 | 2.5% | — | | Conservatives | 6 | 0.9% | — | | Independent | 4 | 0.6% | — | | Lib Dems | 3 | 0.4% | — |

Note: Plaid Cymru elected unopposed in 2022.

Result: Independent gain from Plaid Cymru

Lambeth – Clapham Park

| Party | Votes | Percentage | Change | |-------|-------|------------|--------| | Green Party | 842 | 43.8% | +11.6 on May | | Labour | 799 | 41.5% | +5.7 | | Lib Dems | 108 | 5.6% | -4.5 | | Conservatives | 85 | 4.4% | -4.2 | | Reform UK | 71 | 3.7% | -2.9 | | CPA | 12 | 0.6% | +0.6 | | Socialist | 6 | 0.3% | +0.3 |

Result: Green Party hold

Lambeth – Streatham St Leonard's

| Party | Votes | Percentage | Change | |-------|-------|------------|--------| | Lib Dems | 1,161 | 41.7% | +26.4 on May | | Green Party | 972 | 35.0% | -12.5 | | Labour | 421 | 15.1% | -7.8 | | Conservatives | 119 | 4.3% | -3.1 | | Reform UK | 79 | 2.6% | -4.2 | | CPA | 37 | 1.3% | +1.3 |

Result: Lib Dems gain from Green Party

Neath Port Talbot – Trebanos

| Party | Votes | Percentage | Change | |-------|-------|------------|--------| | Plaid Cymru | 223 | 51.1% | -18.3 on 2022 | | Reform UK | 88 | 20.2% | +20.2 | | Lib Dems | 77 | 17.7% | +17.7 | | Labour | 37 | 8.5% | -22.1 | | Conservatives | 7 | 1.6% | +1.6 | | Green Party | 4 | 0.9% | +0.9 |

Result: Plaid Cymru hold

North Norfolk – Suffield Park

| Party | Votes | Percentage | Change | |-------|-------|------------|--------| | Lib Dems | 485 | 65.4% | +4.3 on 2026 | | Reform UK | 136 | 18.3% | +18.3 | | Conservatives | 88 | 11.9% | -14.1 | | Green Party | 20 | 2.7% | -2.9 | | Labour | 13 | 1.8% | -5.6 |

Result: Lib Dems hold

Pembrokeshire – Pembroke Dock Market

| Party | Votes | Percentage | Change | |-------|-------|------------|--------| | Conservatives | 143 | 36.0% | — | | Independent | 100 | 25.2% | — | | Plaid Cymru | 79 | 19.9% | — | | Reform UK | 48 | 12.1% | — | | Independent | 11 | 2.8% | — | | Lib Dems | 9 | 2.3% | — | | Independent | 7 | 1.8% | — |

Note: Independent elected unopposed in 2022.

Result: Conservatives gain from Independent

South Lanarkshire – Larkhall

| Party | Votes | Percentage | Change | |-------|-------|------------|--------| | Reform UK | 1,150 | 35.2% | +35.2 | | SNP | 975 | 29.9% | +1.0 | | Labour | 799 | 24.5% | -8.5 | | Conservatives | 342 | 10.5% | -14.0 |

Figures for first preferences.

Result: Reform UK gain from Labour

Stratford-on-Avon – Kinwarton

| Party | Votes | Percentage | Change | |-------|-------|------------|--------| | Conservatives | 507 | 36.4% | +2.9 on 2023 | | Lib Dems | 500 | 35.9% | -20.8 | | Reform UK | 231 | 16.6% | +16.6 | | Green Party | 128 | 9.2% | +6.0 | | Labour | 28 | 2.0% | -4.7 |

Result: Conservatives gain from Lib Dems

Surrey – Haslemere

| Party | Votes | Percentage | Change | |-------|-------|------------|--------| | Lib Dems | 1,181 | 47.8% | -2.2 on 2021 | | Conservatives | 797 | 32.3% | -10.7 | | Green Party | 280 | 11.3% | +11.3 | | Reform UK | 213 | 8.6% | +8.6 |

Contest took place on Tuesday.

Result: Lib Dems hold

Vale of Glamorgan – Baruc

| Party | Votes | Percentage | Change | |-------|-------|------------|--------| | Plaid Cymru | 856 | 47.7% | +11.2 on 2022 | | Reform UK | 429 | 23.9% | +23.9 | | Conservatives | 219 | 12.2% | -8.2 | | Labour | 179 | 10.0% | -15.1 | | Green Party | 90 | 5.0% | -13.1 | | Lib Dems | 23 | 1.3% | +1.3 |

Result: Plaid Cymru hold

Waverley – Haslemere West

| Party | Votes | Percentage | Change | |-------|-------|------------|--------| | Lib Dems | 551 | 58.6% | -5.6 on 2023 | | Green Party | 164 | 17.4% | +17.4 | | Conservatives | 141 | 15.0% | -7.0 | | Reform UK | 84 | 8.9% | +8.9 |

Contest took place on Tuesday.

Result: Lib Dems hold

Forthcoming Contests

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)
Thurrock – Grays Riverside (Reform UK held)

Source

Conservative HomeWestern

Original headline: Council by-election results from this week and forthcoming contests

Original language: EN-GB

Part of this Story

UK Council By-Elections: Lib Dems and Reform UK Gain Seats from Conservatives

See the full Story: all sources and camp coverage

People and interests

Conservative Party Reform UK Green Party Labour Party