Reform UK Secures Newcastle-under-Lyme Council, Wins All Nine Tamworth Seats

Reform UK achieved a commanding victory in local elections, gaining control of Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council by securing 27 seats. The Conservatives retained 15 seats, while Labour held two. Martin Rogerson, Reform's branch chairman for Newcastle-under-Lyme, stated, "We've come out on top but we've got a job to do – we'll do the best for the people who elected us."

In Tamworth, Nigel Farage's party also won all nine seats that were open for election, though Labour remains the largest party overall in that council despite losing the single seat they were defending. Reform's deputy leader, Richard Tice, expressed delight with the outcomes, suggesting voters had acted to "repaint the red wall, the turquoise wall."

Among the newly elected Reform councillors are former Conservative MPs Jonathan Gullis for Kidsgrove and Ravenscliffe, and Jeremy Lefroy for Maer and Whitmore. The Conservatives had held a majority on Newcastle-under-Lyme council since 2022, following Labour's long-standing parliamentary representation in the constituency until 2019.

The local elections precede a planned reorganisation of local government in Staffordshire, which would see all 10 existing councils abolished and replaced by new unitary authorities by 2028. This means councillors elected in Newcastle-under-Lyme this year would serve only half of their typical four-year terms. Rogerson, unfazed by this prospect, remarked, "We're getting used to it, so it should be another great win."

However, the Tamworth results were marred by an electoral law breach, as the outcome was shared on social media before the official declaration. The returning officer for Tamworth stated that immediate action was taken, and the incident was reported to Staffordshire Police. Tice acknowledged the mistake, stating, "No-one's complacent, no-one's perfect, we never stop learning – that's what we do in life."