Twelve principal authority by-elections across England, Wales and Scotland took place on Thursday 2nd July, carrying on a trend of unusually high numbers of by-elections over the past few weeks.
Reform UK were defending three seats. The Liberal Democrats, Labour and Independents/Localists were defending two each. Plaid Cymru and the Conservatives were defending one each.
Wales
Three by-elections took place in the county of Powys, with one in Torfaen. All four by-elections were triggered by a councillor winning a seat on the Senedd, and unlike in England, Welsh law dictates that you cannot hold both a council and Senedd seat.
Torfaen CBC, Llantarnam
The previous councillor in the Llantarnam ward in Torfaen won a by-election in 2023 as an Independent (he had previously been a Conservative councillor) before moving over to Reform UK. Three Independents had swept the ward in 2022, with Labour winning the two seats available at the election in 2017. While a technical gain from Independent, as the post had been occupied by Reform UK before the by-election, this can also be looked at as a Reform UK hold. This was not a Liberal Democrat target, standing for the first time here.
Thanks to Brendan Roberts for putting a Liberal Democrat choice on the ballot paper.
Reform UK: 505 (42.7%, new)
Labour: 362 (30.6%, +3.4%)
Plaid Cymru: 190 (16.1%, -1.6%)
Conservative: 58 (4.9%, new)
Green Party: 49 (4.1%, -6.8)
Lib Dem: 18 (1.5%, new)
Reform UK GAIN from Independent
Powys CC, Glantwymyn
This race was an unusual one as Plaid Cymru ran unopposed in the Glantwymyn council election back in 2022. It was contested this time again by Plaid Cymru, as well as Reform UK, the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats. Unsurprisingly, Plaid Cymru held onto this seat with over 80% of the vote, given they have been the only party active here.
A huge thanks to Angela Strandrin for standing!
Plaid Cymru: 513 (81.8%, -18.2%)
Reform UK: 63 (10%, new)
Conservative: 28 (4.8%, new)
Lib Dem: 23 (3.7%, new)
Plaid Cymru HOLD
Powys CC, Yscir with Honddu Isaf & Llandew
Yscir with Honddu Isaf & Llandew had previously been held by the Conservatives who had beaten the Liberal Democrats in a two-horse race back in 2022 by a 16-point margin. No other parties stood. The Conservative councillor then defected to Reform UK before getting elected to the Senedd.
While our vote share fell from 2022 due to four other parties standing this time, we successfully fended off a strong Reform UK challenge while the Conservative vote collapsed, gaining the seat by a five-point margin. This race was supported by a grant from ALDC’s Fighting Fund.
Huge congratulations to Cllr Colin Millichap and the team in Powys on his win!
Lib Dem: 297 (39.6%, -19.7%)
Reform UK: 259 (34.5%, new)
Plaid Cymru: 98 (13.1%, new)
Conservative: 68 (9.1%, -31.6%)
Green Party: 15 (2%, new)
Labour: 14 (1.9%, new)
Turnout: 51.1%
Liberal Democrat GAIN from Conservative
Powys CC, Llanyre & Nantmel
Back in 2022, an Independent won against the Liberal Democrats in a straight fight in the ward of Llanyre with Nantmel by 54% to our 46% vote share. That Independent later joined Reform UK and was elected to the Senedd in May.
While we retained our second-place position, this by-election also had the Conservatives, an Independent and the Green Party standing, resulting in a drop in our vote share.
Thank you to Tim Wilson for standing, and we’re still set up to be a main challenger at the next local elections in 2027.
Reform UK: 359 (41.6%, new)
Lib Dem: 226 (26.2%, -20%)
Conservative: 210 (24.3%, new)
Independent: 51 (5.9%, -47.9%)
Green Party: 18 (2.1%, new)
Turnout: 49.6%
Reform UK GAIN from Independent
Scotland
Aberdeenshire Council, Peterhead South/Cruden
Just the one race last week in Scotland in the Aberdeenshire seat of Peterhead South and Cruden, where the Conservatives were defending the seat following the sad passing of the incumbent councillor. The Liberal Democrats held one seat in this three-member ward from the 2022 elections along with one SNP councillor and the former Conservative councillor.
It’s important to remember Scottish local elections are run on an STV voting system, with the Liberal Democrat winning on the fourth round of voting back in 2022.
This time it was an SNP gain from the Conservatives, while the Lib Dems finished in sixth on first preferences in a much more crowded field.
Thank you to Tony Ware for standing here.
First preference votes:
SNP: 742 (36.5%, -10%)
Reform UK: 465 (22.9%, new)
Conservative: 432 (21.3%, -20%)
Independent: 150 (7.4%, new)
Independent: 132 (6.5%, new)
Lib Dem: 56 (2.8%, -9.4%)
SFP: 54 (2.7%, new)
SNP GAIN from Conservative
England
Cotswold DC, St Michaels
In the Cotswolds, the Liberal Democrats were defending a seat in the St. Michaels division of Cotswold District Council following the resignation of Lib Dem Councillor and former LGA leader of the Lib Dem group Joe Harris, who was also the leader on the council.
The Liberal Democrats took control of the Council back in 2019 from the Conservatives, with Joe holding the St. Michael’s seat since 2015. In the last election in 2023, we held the ward with a massive majority against the Conservatives who were the only other challenger.
This time, as a growing theme in these reports, we held the seat with a reduced share of the vote with all five major English parties standing this time. Despite the fall in vote share, we won a vast majority of votes on 58%. The key stat is the 39.4% gap between us and the second placed Conservative candidate, which has grown from the 36.8% gap from the last election in 2023.
Congratulations to the new Liberal Democrat Cllr Naomi Bloomer on a race well fought!
Lib Dem: 344 (58.4%, -10%)
Conservative: 112 (19%, -12.5%)
Reform UK: 91 (15.5%, new)
Green Party: 27 (4.6%, new)
Labour: 15 (2.6%, new)
Turnout: 32.2%
Liberal Democrat HOLD
Gloucestershire CC, Cirencester Park
This race on Gloucestershire County Council was also triggered by the resignation of Joe Harris. The last time this division was contested was much more recent in 2025 when Reform UK had their breakthrough year in the county elections.
All five major English parties had stood back then, which gives us a clearer reflection of the vote change difference compared to this time when the same parties stood again. Not only did we hold onto the ward, but we increased our vote share from 2025 by 6.6%, while Reform UK’s fell!
A huge congratulations to Cllr Andrea Pellegram on a fantastic result!
Lib Dem: 1369 (58.7%, +6.6%)
Conservative: 429 (18.4%, +2.9%)
Reform UK: 366 (15.7%, -5.7%)
Green Party: 111 (4.8%, -1.1%)
Labour: 59 (2.5%, -2.6%)
Turnout: 28.5%
Liberal Democrat HOLD
Dorset Council, St Leonards & St Ives
The by-election in St. Leonards & St. Ives was caused by the sad passing of the former Conservative councillor, who had won the ward along with their Conservative colleague back in 2024 in a straight race against two Liberal Democrat candidates. They had also won the ward back in 2019 at the first set of elections of this new unitary council. The Conservatives had initially won control of the council in 2019 before the Liberal Democrats won full control by one seat in 2023.
Again, this two-party context is important in dissecting the result in this ward. This time, the election was also contested by the Green Party and Reform UK. Unfortunately, we fell to third behind Reform UK but continue to have a strong presence.
Thank you to Andrew Barham for making sure a Lib Dem was on the ballot paper.
Conservative: 928 (37.9%, -25%)
Reform UK: 823 (33.6%, new)
Lib Dem: 629 (25.7%, -11.4%)
Green Party: 68 (7.8%, +2.8%)
Turnout: 37.5%
Conservative HOLD
Telford & Wrekin Council, Malinslee & Dawley Bank
In Telford & Wrekin, Labour were seeking to defend their very strong 2023 result. They have held this ward for at least the past four cycles, though boundary changes complicate the situation. The election was triggered by the resignation of one of their former councillors in this two-member ward.
Labour held on here despite a hugely diminished vote share and a strong challenge from Reform UK who stood for the first time. While the Liberal Democrats had finished last, we have never delivered a strong result here in previous elections.
Thank you to Patrick Jerome for flying the Lib Dem flag!
Labour: 590 (42.9%, -32.2%)
Reform: 569 (41.4%, new)
Conservative: 104 (7.6%, -10.3%)
Green Party: 76 (5.5%, new)
Lib Dem: 35 (2.5%, -4.4%)
Turnout: 24.3%
Labour HOLD
Harborough DC, Lutterworth East
The situation in the Harborough seat of Lutterworth East is extremely complicated, with the close-run nature of the by-election result reflecting a similarly chaotic picture the last time the two-member ward was contested in 2023. Then, Labour topped the poll, with a Lib Dem getting elected in second place. However, a Conservative finished third, a second Labour candidate in fourth, a second Lib Dem candidate in fifth, and a single Green Party and Reform UK candidate finished sixth and seventh, respectively. This is a true crowded-field, multi-party contest at work – years before it had properly taken off.
The by-election was called owing to the sad death of the incumbent Labour councillor. The by-election was closely contested between four of the five major parties, finishing within 10% of each other, while the Green Party trailed behind. Reform UK went from last to first, but with just a mere 28% of the vote.
Thank you to Stephen Walkley for standing!
Reform UK: 403 (28.2%, +21.4%)
Conservative: 386 (27%, +4.4%)
Labour: 271 (19%, -13.4%)
Lib Dem: 270 (18.9%, -11.6%)
Green Party: 97 (6.8%, -0.9%)
Turnout: 36%
Reform UK GAIN from Labour
Bolton MBC, Horwich North
In the Horwich North division of Bolton, the Horwich and Blackrod First localist party were seeking to hold onto their seat following the resignation of their incumbent councillor in this three-member ward elected by thirds.
This ward has typically been a Localist-Labour fight in previous elections at the height of Labour’s popularity, despite Reform UK breaking through and putting up a strong fight at the most recent election in May 2026, when Labour fell to fourth behind Reform UK and the Green Party. In this by-election, the Localists recovered ground against Reform UK to pull off another convincing win.
Thank you to Scott James Turner-Pearce for flying the Lib Dem flag!
Horwich & Blackrod First: 1186 (50%, +10.8%)
Reform UK: 541 (22.8%, -2.8%)
Labour: 343 (14.5%, +3.4%)
Green Party: 189 (8%, -4.1%)
Conservative: 71 (3%, -2.3%)
Lib Dem: 27 (1.1%, -0.4%)
Independent: 13 (0.6%, new)
Horwich & Blackrod First HOLD
Cheshire West & Chester Council, Weaver & Cuddington
Finally, we’re in Cheshire where the Conservatives were seeking to defend the Weaver & Cuddington seat following the resignation of their incumbent councillor.
This is a very interesting three-member seat in which an Independent won top spot in the 2023 elections by a landslide number of votes – double what the second-placed Conservative achieved, with another Conservative finishing third. Labour stood two candidates, who finished either side of the final Conservative candidate, with the Lib Dems standing one candidate in last place.
The by-election resulted in a very strong Independent win from the Conservatives, while we unfortunately finished last again.
Thank you to Lizzie Jewkes for making sure a Lib Dem was on the ballot paper!
Independent: 1365 (35.7%, new)
Conservative: 974 (25.5%, +3.7%)
Reform UK: 778 (20.3%, new)
Labour: 564 (14.7%, -5%)
Lib Dem (Lizzie Jewkes): 142 (3.7%, -11.9%)
Turnout: 34.2%
Independent GAIN from Conservative
A full summary of these results, and all other principal council by-elections, can be found on the ALDC by-elections page here.
* ALDC is the Association of Liberal Democrat Councillors and Campaigners
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30 Comments
In summary, 12 contests and our vote has declined in 9 of them. Excellent result in Cirencester Park with our vote up more that 6% – the other two contests we can count as an increase (because we didn’t stand last time), saw candidates win under 4% of vote share.
Extra ordinary that reform can put a picture of Farage on a leaflet, a few meaningless slogan like stop the boats, cut waste and poll 35% of the vote and yet a Lib Dem getting on the ballot paper and getting 15 votes is seen as some kind of success.
Is no one in the Lib Leadership bothered about this? Are there really no policies that can appeal to more than 2% of the population? Have various anti-reform messages been tried out ?
Here is my usual monthly summary of the last fifty local by-elections.
Percentage Vote Share:
Reform 24.24%, Labour 18.12%, Conservatives 17.52%, Liberal Democrats 16.22%, Greens 13.34%, Independents 3.97%, Others 6.60%
All parties have a decreased percentage share except Labour which has more than doubled its vote share moving into second place for the first time since July 2025. Reform still has the highest vote share even though they are at their lowest level of support since May 2025.
Gains and losses are:
Reform: Net gain of five: 8 gains, 4 held, 3 lost
Greens: Net gain of two: 3 gains, 4 held, 1 lost
Conservatives: No change: 4 gains, 6 held, 4 lost
Others: No change: 1 gain, 6 held, 1 lost
Lib Dems: Net loss of one: 1 gain, 7 held, 2 lost
Independents: Net loss of one: 2 gains, 0 held, 3 lost
Labour: Net loss of five: 2 gains, 5 held, 7 lost
Seats Won:
Reform 12, Conservatives 10, Liberal Democrats 8, Labour 7, Greens 7, Independents 2, Others 7
(Numbers do not add up to 50 due to double by-elections in some wards).
The above data is for the most recent 50 by-elections in England & Wales (11th June to 2nd July 2026. Parish/Town Councils are not included.
Unusually, there were 3 contests where Reform had stood before; in 2 of those their Vote fell. In both cases there seem to have been the same number of candidates as before, so that can’t be a factor.
@Jana – Our vote decline in almost all of these elections is down to there being far more candidates standing. In some cases there were three or four extra parties contending the wards.
There is now to be a Westminster By-elecction in Clacton, with Labour apparently mulling a Boycott.
There is a strong case for finding (if possible) a popular, “non-political” figure to stand as an Anti -Corruption/Anti-Racist Candidate to oppose Farage.
We need to think hard about this rather than just standing a candidate automatically.
@Paul Barker
https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/nigel-farage-statement-today-live-37398375
“Now, four political parties have confirmed they will not stand in the Clacton-on-Sea by-election: Labour, the Conservatives, the Liberal Democrats and Restore UK.”
It looks like its going to be Reform Vs The Greens with the latter representing The “Establishment”
Unless The Government take Ed’s advice & stop it.
Personally, I think the Liberal Democrats have missed a great opportunity here. Imagine the boost to our support if we were to stand, unite the anti-Farage support, and win. Instead we prefer to join Labour, Tories and Restore GB and stand aside, leaving the Greens to pick up the challenge.
I fear we may come to regret our decision if the Greens win.
Count Binface is planning to stand in Clacton apparently. If no-one else stands against FaЯage, we should all go there and campaign for CB as if it were a Lib Dem by-election campaign. FaЯage being defeated by a joke candidate would be poetic.
But I don’t see the logic in the major parties “boycotting” the prospective Clacton by-election. All this does is make it easier for FaЯage to win, and he can claim that he was supported by the major parties, or that they were too cowardly to stand against him. I am a classical democrat, so a by-election is a by-election is a by-election is a by-election. I do think FaЯage’s “resignation” stunt should be blocked until the Commons commissioner for standards reports. However, if this doesn’t happen, then there is going to be a by-election whether we want it or not, and nothing will be achieved by “boycotting” it.
The Greens have also ruled out standing. Count Binface is now the establishment candidate.
@Peter Davies
Not sure we should leave it to Count Binface.
What is required is a modern day version of Martin Bell – the man in the white suit – who stood as an independent against Neil Hamilton in 1997 and won.
I love the idea of FaЯage being defeated by a joke candidate! How poetic.
Good to see Lib Dems and others not taking part in Farage’s little farce of a by-election.
I too hope there is a crdible ‘Martin Bell’ type candidate in the area who would be able to win.
Jana 7th Jul ’26 – 11:11pm..Personally, I think the Liberal Democrats have missed a great opportunity here. Imagine the boost to our support if we were to stand, unite the anti-Farage support, and win..
If LibDems stands why not Labour and Tory? That would give Farage the ability to claim a memorable victory; instead he has ‘binface’ and his, “Let the people of Clacton decide” becomes a joke… After all, if Ursain Bolt ran against ‘Mr. Blobby’, would THAT be a victory to be boasted about?
I agree with Jana on this one. The other parties should have stood candidates. There are many serious issues in Clacton which have not been addressed. Jaywick is a very deprived area, possibly one of the most deprived neighbourhoods in the country. It would have given this party a platform and an opportunity to speak to these issues, expand on policies such as raising the tax income threshold and give residents more hope. It’s so disappointing to see how a by-election is being personalised, treated as a joke, by those who espouse libertarian values rather than discuss and debate policies.
I can only conclude from the Farage affair that Lib Dems simply don’t understand what messy but real political competition is all about.
Farage, desperate to avoid sanction for his financial shenanigans, is playing an “I’m the victim” charade. He would love to be able to blame the establishment for stopping his silly game. Labour, recognising that danger, have sensibly refused to stop his resignation. The Lib Dems, failing to recognise that reality, have advocated falling into Farage’s trap and blocking the resignation. Not savvy!
Then we see Lib Dem posters wanting to join in Farage’s silly game, and stand a serious candidate against him. But Farage has chosen the battleground, and it’s Clacton, where a “Martin Bell” type candidate would just be slaughtered by Farage. So what on earth would be achieved by that? Not savvy!
Sorry, but there’s a reason why Lib Dems don’t really get anywhere. They’re just not up to it.
I raised a serious point and no one is interested. I do agree with Ed Davey that Farage’s resignation shouldn’t have been accepted. However, moving on, what message does leaving things to count binface send to the people of Clacton and elsewhere? It should be an open goal to ask people if they support – Trumps sanctions (tarriffs) on the UK, Trumps war on Iran, Trumps genocide in Gaza, Trumps undermining of Ukraine, Farages support for Putin, the £850 billion a week lost because of brexit, Brexit encouraging Putin to invade Ukraine, higher fuel and food prices that make net zero look like pocket money, whether they’d like to go back to not having a small boat problem, e.g. before brexit. Whether they want rid of council tax, cheap green energy, a tax system that treats people fairly and stops Farage paying a smaller % of his income in tax than they do. Whether they want control on political donations. Yet again, people will be voting for Farage not because they agree with him, but because he is talking about the issues that matter to them.
Let’s hope that the good voters of Clacton put that pile of rubbish into the Bin.
“Libertarian values”? Sorry but no, FaЯage is no “libertarian” in any real sense of the word. The “freedom” of the rich and powerful to trample on the rights of ordinary people isn’t liberty, it’s licence. FaЯage is a corporatarian and a social authoritarian.
Caracatus 9th Jul ’26 – 6:02am……….. It should be an open goal to ask people if they support – Trumps sanctions (tarriffs) on the UK, Trumps war on Iran, Trumps genocide in Gaza, Trumps undermining of Ukraine, Farages support for Putin, the £850 billion a week lost because of brexit, Brexit encouraging Putin to invade Ukraine, higher fuel and food prices that make net zero look like pocket money, whether they’d like to go back to not having a small boat problem, e.g. before brexit. Whether they want rid of council tax, cheap green energy, a tax system that treats people fairly and stops Farage paying a smaller % of his income in tax than they do. Whether they want control on political donations………..
That would be the longest political slogan in history
Some of the comments show an odd naivety about Clapton, we are not standing on the basis that no serious Parties are standing, if we stood All the other Parties would stand & we would lose our deposit & come near the bottom , again. More to the point Farage would be able to play his “Me against The Liberal Establishment” card. As it is The Media will treat it as a “Silly Season” story.
I’m confident most voters in Clacton do not have Ukraine on their mind or Gaza for that matter. If you’re going to have a long political slogan make it an accurate one at least …£850 billion !
Clapton? Love his guitar riffs.
If the Lib Dems, Tories and Labour are boycotting this election then the advice to voters should be to boycott too!
Sure, it would be amusing to see Count Binface win. but it doesn’t look good that some in supposedly serious political parties are wanting the people of Clacton to have a joke MP for the next couple of years.
eter Martin 10th Jul ’26 – 9:17am..Sure, it would be amusing to see Count Binface win. but it doesn’t look good that some in supposedly serious political parties are wanting the people of Clacton to have a joke MP for the next couple of years…….
They already have a ‘joke MP’..As far as I’m aware Farage has never held a ‘Surgery’ in his constituency; when asked why he said.. “Do I have an office in Clacton? Yes. Am I allowing the public to flow through the door with their knives in their pockets? No, no I’m not.”
At least ‘Binface’ might turn up in Clacton..
Peter and others: In 1593, the Johnstones (with 800 men) beat the Maxwells (2,000) by goading them to rush into an ambush.
In 1645, the Marquess of Montrose (4,500 men) beat Gen William Baillie’s army of 20,000 by goading them into charging into a bog.
In 2026, Farage called a premature by-election, to set a trap.
Thankfully, the main parties had the sense not to rush into the bog/ambush.
If he beats the bin, and down the line is forced into a by-election not of his choosing, THAT will be the time to stand serious candidates against him.
A thought just occurred – maybe Farage was hoping to have no serious competition in this by-election as it always his party activists to canvass extensively while other parties do nothing. Then, if forced to fight another by-election, his campaign will start with the advantage of detailed canvass returns on which to build.
Some posters on here are real killjoys. If Binface were to beat Farage it would end Farage’s political career. And let’s face it, Binface could hardly be a worse MP than Farage, who is never there, never holds surgeries and doesn’t respond to correspondence.
Sure Binface is a joke character, but hardly a bigger joke than Farage.
Go Count Binface!
Agree with Mick Taylor, but would also suggest Count Binface is no mug….. he’s an Oxford graduate in classics and classical languages, literatures and linguistics – and wrote gags for Spitting Image ………. which is a lot more than the ‘exceedingly richer than thou’ Faragista candidate can claim.
It would be great if the massed ranks of Middle England could get on their scooters and rally to his cause to turf out the Faragista person.
May I suggest a slogan for ‘Count Binface’… “If I get given £5million for being your MP, I’ll spend it on Clacton Not Ferraris!”