Reform UK wins first seat on Sheffield Council

Reform UK has won its first seat on Sheffield City Council following a tightly contested by-election.

John Booker took the Stocksbridge and Don ward after a vote was trigged by the resignation of Julie Grocutt in May.

Booker secured 1,789 votes, with the Liberal Democrats second on 1,597 and Labour coming third with 1,324 votes.

The win follows on from Reform's success in neighbouring Doncaster, when the party took two thirds of the council's seats in the recent local elections.

Booker, a former UKIP councillor in Sheffield's West Ecclesfield ward, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service his party had "galvanised public opinion".

"I think the Labour Party is going the way of the Conservative Party," he said.

"I'm happy that we've now got an alternative voice in Sheffield City Council, which it needed for a long time.

"I believe in common sense, which has left this building and it needs to come back."

Liberal Democrat group leader Martin Smith said his party's candidate, Stuart Shepherd, had "nearly quadrupled our vote share in 15 months".

"It's a real shame he didn't get in this time but he's been a great candidate and I'm sure his time will come," he said.

Council and Labour group leader Tom Hunt said: "The national background always meant this was going to be a challenging election.

"It's much easier for some parties who only have to stand on the sidelines – being in government means you have to take decisions."

Results in full - candidates names listed in alphabetical order

Adam James Allcroft, Yorkshire Party, 58 votes

John Booker, Reform UK, 1,789

Andy Davies, Green Party, 294

Matt Dixon, Conservative Party, 332

Josiah Tomasz Lenton, Labour Party, 1,324

Stuart Shepherd, Liberal Democrats, 1,597

Claire Suzanne Wraith, Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition,

43 votes

Turnout: 5,437 votes (36.8%)