This was the first time Reform defended council seats in by-elections...
Reform lost two council by-elections last night (3 July) in seats that it won in the local elections this May. This means Nigel Farage’s party only held onto them for two months.
The Tories narrowly won the by-election in Newark West on Nottinghamshire County Council, picking up 34.7% of the vote to Reform’s 34.3%.
In the Benfieldside by-election in Durham, meanwhile, Reform were pushed into third place. The Lib Dems came out on top, winning the seat with 28.3% of the vote.
These are the first time Reform has had to defend councils seats in by-elections. It’s perhaps telling that Nigel Farage’s party lost both of them…
Chris Jarvis is head of strategy and development at Left Foot Forward
Image credit: House of Commons – Creative Commons
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