Reform UK wins first seat on city council

Reform UK has gained its first seat on a city council after winning a by-election.

Luke Shenton was confirmed as the new councillor for Stoke-on-Trent's Birches Head and Northwood ward following the vote on Thursday.

He received 1,226 votes, well ahead of Labour candidate Maggie Bradley with 449 votes, followed by independent Jean Bowers on 346 and Conservative Khawar Ali on 73. The turnout was 28.11%.

The result came two weeks after Reform took control of Staffordshire County Council, winning 49 out of 62 seats.

Mr Shenton said his party could see similar success across the city in the next council election in 2027.

He added: "I think this is the beginning. If we can keep up this momentum, I believe we can win a majority in Stoke-on-Trent, just like in Staffordshire.

"I believe that people are sick of the two traditional parties. In Stoke-on-Trent, Labour has been the traditional but people feel they have been let down and so they are turning to Reform."

He spoke of his party's desire to "look at waste" if they take control of the authority in 2027.

"We need to look at what it's spending money on because people are struggling at the moment. That's the issue that kept coming up on the doorstep," he added.

This by-election was called after the ward's previous Labour councillor, Steve Blakemore, was disqualified when he became a city council employee.

He worked for Unitas, the authority's housing repairs company, which was independent of the council until it was taken back under its control in April.

Labour remain in control of the authority, holding 28 out of 44 seat, but council leader Jane Ashworth said the government needed to do more for people in the city.

"I think this shows that people in this city have had enough of politics that do not deliver for Stoke-on-Trent," she added.

"Since 2010 we've just had cuts, cuts and more cuts.

"The Labour government has delivered more funding, in addition to what we can raise through council tax, and I understand the financial situation they inherited was never going to be fixed in one budget, but it's clearly not enough."

The government said in February councils in England would have £69bn to spend this financial year.

This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service which covers councils and other public service organisations.

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