Author Archives: Chris Ward

This week there were five by-elections for seven seats, with a rare triple by-election in Maidstone. It was a strong week for Reform UK, winning six of the available seats, with Labour narrowly holding off their challenge in Ellesmere Port.

On the Isle of Wight, Bob Blezzard’s vote share increase wasn’t enough to prevent a Reform UK hold. Thank you to the team for their efforts.

Isle of Wight Council, Lake North
Reform UK: 290 (36.8%, +0.7)
Conservative: 249 (31.6%, +2.8)
Liberal Democrats (Bob Blezzard): 118 (15.0%, +4.4)
Green Party: 88 (11.2%, -0.9)
Labour: 44 (5.6%, -0.2)

Reform UK HOLD

Turnout: 28.4%

In Wigan, Peter Burley and team gained a slight increase in the vote, when all other previous tickets went down. Thank you for standing.

Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council, Wigan Central
Reform UK: 1391 (47.2%, new)
Labour: 970 (32.9%, -15.3)
Independent: 196 (6.7%, new)
Conservative: 151 (5.1%, -9.4)
Green Party: 130 (4.4%, -2.1)
Liberal Democrats (Peter Burley): 109 (3.7%, +0.2)

Reform UK GAIN from Labour

Turnout: 30.9%

Ellesmere Port was the scene of Reform UK’s only miss of the week, as Labour held on. Thank you to Lizzie Jewkes and the team for adding to the Lib Dem vote in a more crowded fieldthan previous.

Cheshire West and Chester Council UA, Strawberry
Labour: 602 (35.8%, -32.9)
Reform UK: 539 (32.0%, new)
Independent: 231 (13.7%, new)
Conservative: 132 (7.8%, -16.8)
Liberal Democrats (Lizzie Jewkes): 121 (7.2%, +0.5)
Green Party: 58 (3.4%, new)

Labour HOLD

Turnout: 41.6%

Brentwood saw Reform gain from the Conservatives. Thank you to Brenner Munden and the team for flying the Lib Dem flag.

Brentwood Borough Council, Hutton South
Reform UK: 805 (45.8%, new)
Conservative: 544 (30.9%, -14.5)
Labour: 234 (13.3%, -14.5)
Liberal Democrats (Brenner Munden): 109 (6.2%, -9.6)
Green Party: 66 (3.8%, -7.2)

Reform UK GAIN from Conservative

Turnout: 34.1%

Finally, a bit of a collector’s item, with all three seats up for grabs in this Maidstone ward, and a free-for-all following the departure of three independents. Well done to the local Lib Dems for standing Jennifer Horwood, Sam Burrows and Andrew Cockersole, to compete for all three seats.