Reform takes seat from Labour in by-election win

Reform UK has won a by-election to take a Labour-held seat on Harborough District Council.

Reform candidate Bill Piper got 403 votes in the poll in the Lutterworth East ward, on Thursday, to become the party's second councillor on the authority.

Piper beat second-placed Conservative candidate Sarah Simms by 17 votes.

Labour's Martin Cullen finished in third place - a single vote ahead of the Liberal Democrats.

The by-election had been called after former Labour councillor David Gair died in April.

The result means the Tories remain the largest single party on the authority, holding 15 of the 34 seats in the council chamber, although they do not have a majority.

Following Gair's death, the Conservatives seized control of the authority by a single vote.

The council was previously controlled by a 16-strong coalition of Liberal Democrat, Labour, Green and independent councillors since 2023.

There are now seven Liberal Democrat councillors, five independents, three Greens, two Labour and two Reform UK councillors.

• Bill Piper, Reform UK - 403
• Sarah Simms, Conservative Party - 386
• Martin Cullen, Labour - 271
• Stephen Walkley, Liberal Democrats - 270
• Adam Holmes, Green Party - 97

The turnout in the election was 36.09%

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