Labour have won two council by-elections in wards that had previously been held by Reform UK.

On Friday morning, the results of two by-elections for seats on Northumberland County Council were announced.

The wards of Hirst and Amble had both been vacated. In Amble, this was due to the death of Reform UK councillor Arty Hume, who died on July 29 at the age of 71.

In Hirst, the seat was vacated after Reform UK incumbent John Allen failed to turn up to any meetings for six months, the Chronicle reports.

And it was a successful night for Labour, who claimed both seats.

The Amble result saw Labour candidate Amy Spriggs win 439 votes, ahead of Reform’s Warren Ladyman on 379 and the Conservative’s candidate Jenny Richards on 237 votes.

Meanwhile, in Hirst it was a similar story, with Labour’s Melanie Fox winning 350 votes and Reform finishing in second again after their candidate Kerry Davison claimed 210 votes.

Allen had stood again in the seat as an independent. He won just 11 votes.

Whilst the results do little to affect the balance of power on the council, where the Tories have 28 of the 69 seats, they do mean Labour close in on Reform as the official opposition.

Labour now have 10 council seats, with Reform the second-largest party on the council with 18 seats.

The by-election wins are also further evidence of Labour’s polling gains translating to the real world.

Labour Claim Double By-Election Gain from Reform UK as Farage Faces Fresh Electoral Setback

Labour has secured two important council by-election victories in seats previously held by Reform UK, providing another indication of the changing political landscape and creating fresh questions about Nigel Farage’s ability to maintain his party’s electoral momentum.

The results, announced on Friday, 2 October 2026, saw Labour win both the Hirst and Amble wards on Northumberland County Council. Both seats had previously been held by Reform representatives, meaning the results represented a double gain for Labour.

The victories are particularly interesting because they came in areas where Reform had previously managed to establish a strong political presence.

For Farage, the results provide another reminder that the party’s earlier electoral success does not guarantee continued support. For Labour, they offer an opportunity to demonstrate that its improved national polling position may also be translating into victories at local level.

Labour Takes Two Seats Previously Held by Reform

The two by-elections took place after the seats became vacant for different reasons.

In Amble, the vacancy followed the death of Reform councillor Arty Hume, who died on 29 July 2026 at the age of 71.

In Hirst, the seat became vacant after Reform councillor John Allen reportedly failed to attend council meetings for six months.

Both contests provided Labour with an opportunity to challenge Reform’s position in Northumberland.

The party successfully took advantage of that opportunity, winning both seats and leaving Reform candidates in second place.

In Amble, Labour candidate Amy Spriggs received 439 votes, defeating Reform candidate Warren Ladyman, who secured 379 votes.

The Conservative candidate, Jenny Richards, finished third with 237 votes.

The result demonstrated that Labour could compete effectively against Reform even in a contest where the party had previously held the seat.

The second victory in Hirst was even more decisive in terms of the difference between the two leading candidates.

Labour candidate Melanie Fox received 350 votes, while Reform candidate Kerry Davison secured 210.

Former councillor John Allen also contested the election as an independent but received just 11 votes.

Together, the results gave Labour two additional council seats at Reform’s expense.

Reform’s Support Falls in Both Contests

The detailed voting figures provide an interesting picture of how support changed between the previous elections and the latest contests.

In Amble, Labour secured 38.8 per cent of the vote, an increase of 0.4 percentage points compared with the previous election.

Reform’s vote share fell by 10.9 percentage points to 33.5 per cent.

The Conservatives increased their share to 21 per cent, while the newly represented Restore party received 6.7 per cent.

The result was particularly significant because Labour managed to win despite only recording a relatively modest increase in its own vote share.

In Hirst, the changes were even more dramatic.

Labour increased its vote share by seven percentage points to reach 50.1 per cent.

Reform, meanwhile, experienced a substantial decline of 20 percentage points, finishing on 30 per cent.

Restore received 10.3 per cent, while the Conservatives secured just 4.1 per cent.

The figures suggest that Reform experienced different challenges in the two wards, with its support declining more sharply in Hirst.

However, local by-elections are influenced by candidate popularity, turnout and individual community issues, so the results should not automatically be interpreted as evidence of an identical national trend.

A Difficult Result for Nigel Farage

The double defeat comes at a time when Reform UK is facing increased political scrutiny.

Farage has spent considerable time presenting his party as the main alternative to Britain’s established political system.

Reform’s previous success was driven by dissatisfaction with Labour and the Conservatives, particularly over immigration, taxation, economic conditions and public services.

The party also benefited from attracting voters who believed that traditional politicians had failed to address their concerns.

However, maintaining that support has proved challenging.

Reform has recently faced controversies involving its political representatives, campaign organisation and internal procedures.

The latest Northumberland results add another electoral issue for Farage to address.

Although council by-elections do not necessarily reflect national voting intentions, losing two seats previously held by Reform is an unwelcome development.

The results also demonstrate that Labour can compete successfully in areas where Reform had previously established itself.

The Circumstances Behind the Two Vacancies

There were important differences between the circumstances surrounding the two by-elections.

The Amble contest followed the death of councillor Arty Hume.

His death created an unexpected vacancy and required voters to select a new representative for the ward.

In Hirst, however, the circumstances attracted additional attention because John Allen reportedly failed to attend any council meetings for six months.

His absence eventually resulted in the seat becoming vacant.

Allen subsequently contested the by-election as an independent candidate but received only 11 votes.

The situation raised questions about the responsibilities of elected councillors and the importance of maintaining regular participation in local government.

Residents elect councillors to represent their communities, attend meetings and participate in decisions affecting local services.

When representatives fail to fulfil those responsibilities, voters have an opportunity to choose someone else.

Labour’s victory in Hirst therefore reflected not only competition between political parties but also the particular circumstances surrounding the previous representative.

Labour’s Gains Come as Its National Polling Position Improves

The double victory is also significant because it follows an improvement in Labour’s position in national opinion polls.

For much of the previous year, Labour had faced considerable difficulties maintaining public support.

Reform had benefited from dissatisfaction with the government and had established itself as a major competitor in national polling.

However, more recent surveys have suggested that Labour is beginning to recover.

The party’s improved position has coincided with growing questions about Reform’s organisation and political direction.

The Northumberland results provide an example of how national political developments can sometimes be reflected in local elections.

Labour’s victories demonstrate that the party remains capable of attracting support in areas where Reform previously performed strongly.

Nevertheless, two council by-elections are not enough to establish a nationwide electoral trend.

Labour will need to demonstrate continued success in other constituencies before broader conclusions can be drawn.

Reform Still Controls a Significant Number of Council Seats

Despite losing both contests, Reform remains an important political force on Northumberland County Council.

Following the results, the Conservatives held 28 of the council’s 69 seats, while Reform retained 18.

Labour increased its representation to 10 seats, with the remaining seats held by other political groups.

The results therefore did not change overall control of the council.

However, they did reduce the gap between Labour and Reform in terms of representation.

Labour is now closer to Reform as the council’s official opposition, giving the party a stronger position from which to challenge the administration.

The development could also provide Labour councillors with greater confidence when scrutinising local government decisions.

For Reform, maintaining its remaining seats will be important if it wants to preserve its influence in the region.

What the Results Mean for Britain’s Political Landscape

The Northumberland by-elections highlight an important feature of British politics: electoral support can change quickly, even in areas where a party previously enjoyed considerable success.

Reform’s rise demonstrated that voters were willing to move away from traditional political parties when they believed their concerns were not being addressed.

However, Labour’s double victory shows that those voters are not necessarily permanently committed to one political movement.

Local elections offer residents an opportunity to judge individual candidates and parties based on their performance and their understanding of community issues.

The results also demonstrate why political parties cannot rely exclusively on national opinion polls.

A party may perform strongly in national surveys but still struggle to maintain support in individual wards.

For Labour, the challenge is to build on these victories and demonstrate that its recovery can be sustained.

For Reform, the priority will be understanding why its support declined and ensuring that its local representatives maintain the confidence of residents.

Conclusion: Two Seats Lost, Two Questions for Farage

Labour’s double by-election victory in Northumberland represents another development in the changing relationship between Labour and Reform UK.

Amy Spriggs won Amble with 439 votes, defeating Reform’s Warren Ladyman, while Melanie Fox secured Hirst with 350 votes against Reform candidate Kerry Davison’s 210.

The victories mean Labour has taken two seats previously held by Farage’s party.

For Labour, the results provide encouragement as it attempts to rebuild its political support and demonstrate that its improved national polling position can translate into local electoral success.

For Reform, the defeats raise questions about its ability to maintain the support it attracted during its earlier period of growth.

However, the overall balance of power on Northumberland County Council remains unchanged, and the results should be understood within their local context.

Ultimately, the double victory is another reminder that political popularity is never guaranteed. Reform may have experienced considerable success in recent years, but voters retain the power to change their minds.

For Nigel Farage, the challenge is to convince supporters that his party can deliver consistent results beyond national headlines and opinion polls.