Labour won a council seat of Reform in a local by-election this week, in what proved to be a successful night for the party.

The headline win for Labour came in Holborn and St Pancras, where Sagal Abdi-Wali held off the challenge of Green Party leader Zack Polanski to hold onto the seat for Labour.

But hours before the result was announced, Labour had already secured a by-election win.

In the Town ward on Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council, Labour candidate Andrew Fox-Hewitt won the seat, which had been held by Reform after May’s local elections.

Reform have a significant majority on the council, holding 26 of the 44 seats. This by-election win only gave Labour their third seat on the council, but it is another symbolic win for the party as they continue to lead Reform in the polls.

It was a bad night all round for Reform. Whilst they were never expected to challenge for the win in Holborn and St Pancras, the party will have been hoping to finish ahead of the Conservatives.

But, Reform candidate Pete Newman won 1,612 votes, 310 votes fewer than the Conservatives’ Ewan Cameron, who finished in third place.

Reform’s share of the vote actually was narrowly down on 2024, dropping to 5.9% and meaning the party only just managed to hold their deposit.

The Holborn and St Pancras result was the latest in a long string of poor performances from Reform in parliamentary by-elections.

We keep being told that the party are in a position to win the next general election. But almost every single time the public get the chance to elect a Reform MP, they decided against in.

Holborn and St Pancras was the 27th by-election Reform have stood in since forming in 2018. They have only won two of them: in Clacton, where their main opponent was a man with a bin on his head, and in Runcorn and Helsby, where Sarah Pochin won by just six votes.

Labour Win Council Seat Off Reform in Local By-Election as Farage Suffers Another Setback

Nigel Farage’s Reform UK has suffered another embarrassing electoral setback after Labour successfully took a council seat from the party in a local by-election, delivering a fresh boost to Andy Burnham’s government.

The result came in the Town ward of Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council, where Labour candidate Andrew Fox-Hewitt secured a convincing victory over his Reform opponent.

The defeat is particularly significant because Reform had only taken control of the seat following the May 2026 local elections. Just months later, the party has already lost it again.

For Labour, the victory represents another encouraging sign that its political recovery could be translating into real electoral success.

For Reform, however, it raises further questions about whether the party can maintain its momentum beyond national opinion polls.

Farage has repeatedly presented Reform as the political movement capable of replacing Labour and the Conservatives. Yet the latest result demonstrates that winning over voters in individual communities remains a much more complicated challenge.

Labour Secures a Convincing Victory in Newcastle-under-Lyme

The by-election took place in the Town ward of Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council on Thursday, 8 October 2026.

Labour candidate Andrew Fox-Hewitt emerged victorious, receiving 431 votes and securing 46.2 per cent of the vote.

His nearest rival was Reform UK candidate Adam Griffiths, who received 249 votes, representing 26.7 per cent.

This gave Labour a majority of 182 votes.

The Conservatives finished third with 110 votes, while the Green Party received 115. The Liberal Democrats finished last with 27 votes.

The full results were:

<text color=”secondary” size=”xs”>Turnout: 23.2 per cent. Labour gained the seat from Reform UK.</text>

The result represents a considerable improvement for Labour, whose vote share increased by 18 percentage points compared with the previous election.

Reform, meanwhile, saw its vote share fall slightly.

Although the party had hoped to defend its position, voters ultimately delivered a comfortable victory for Labour.

Reform Loses a Seat It Won Just Months Earlier

Perhaps the most embarrassing aspect of the result for Reform is how recently it secured the seat.

The party had previously won the Town ward during the May 2026 local elections, making the latest defeat a particularly disappointing development.

The by-election was triggered following the resignation of Reform councillor Christine Duffy.

Her departure created an opportunity for Labour to challenge Reform’s position and attempt to recover ground in an area where the party had previously struggled.

Labour successfully capitalised on that opportunity.

The 182-vote majority demonstrates that the result was not simply a narrow electoral accident.

Instead, Fox-Hewitt managed to establish a substantial advantage over his Reform opponent.

For Farage’s party, losing a council seat so soon after winning it will inevitably raise questions about its ability to maintain support between elections.

It also demonstrates that local political circumstances can change rapidly, even in areas where Reform recently enjoyed electoral success.

Labour’s Recovery Continues to Cause Problems for Farage

The Newcastle-under-Lyme result comes amid a wider political debate about Labour’s improving position in national opinion polls.

After experiencing a difficult period, Labour has recently shown signs of recovering support.

The party has faced criticism over economic decisions, public services and the cost of living, allowing Reform to attract voters who were increasingly dissatisfied with the government.

However, the latest developments suggest that Farage’s political momentum may be facing greater resistance.

Labour has been attempting to reconnect with traditional supporters and convince voters that it can deliver meaningful improvements.

Its message has increasingly focused on public services, economic fairness and the concerns of ordinary households.

The Newcastle-under-Lyme victory provides another opportunity for Labour to argue that its recovery is not limited to Westminster polling.

Winning a seat previously controlled by Reform is particularly useful politically because it demonstrates that the governing party can still compete in areas where Farage’s movement has made progress.

Nevertheless, one local result cannot establish a nationwide trend.

Labour will need to demonstrate that it can repeat these performances across different constituencies.

A Difficult Night for Reform’s Political Ambitions

For Reform, the defeat raises uncomfortable questions about the difference between national popularity and local electoral performance.

Farage’s party has frequently enjoyed strong polling figures, attracting voters who are unhappy with the established political parties.

However, local elections require more than national recognition.

Candidates must build relationships with residents, understand local concerns and persuade voters that they can effectively represent their communities.

Reform’s latest defeat suggests that the party still has work to do in establishing a consistent local political presence.

The challenge becomes even greater when voters have several competing parties to choose from.

Although Reform has successfully attracted support in numerous areas, it cannot assume that voters who supported it once will automatically remain loyal.

Local issues, candidate performance and public confidence can all influence the outcome.

Farage will therefore need to ensure that Reform’s councillors and candidates demonstrate that the party is capable of delivering practical improvements rather than simply criticising the government.

The Conservatives and Greens Also Fail to Capitalise

The result was not particularly encouraging for the Conservatives either.

Their candidate, Conna Douglas Eynon, finished fourth with 110 votes, behind both Labour and the Green Party.

The Conservatives have been attempting to rebuild their position following their historic general election defeat.

However, the Newcastle-under-Lyme result demonstrates that the party continues to face difficulties attracting voters in certain local contests.

The Green Party also failed to mount a serious challenge, finishing third with 115 votes.

This left Labour with a clear advantage over the other parties.

For Labour, the result demonstrates the importance of maintaining a strong local organisation and presenting candidates who can appeal to voters beyond the party’s traditional support base.

Reform Still Controls Newcastle-under-Lyme Council

Despite losing the Town ward, Reform remains the largest political party on Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council.

Following the by-election, the political composition of the 44-seat authority stood at:

• Reform UK: 26 seats.
• Conservatives: 15 seats.
• Labour: 3 seats.

This means that Labour’s victory does not threaten Reform’s overall control of the council.

However, the symbolic significance should not be underestimated.

Labour has demonstrated that Reform’s position is not untouchable, even in an area where Farage’s party previously managed to secure electoral success.

For Reform, maintaining its council majority will require convincing residents that it can deliver on its promises.

The party must also avoid allowing internal political difficulties and controversies to distract from its responsibilities at local level.

What Does This Mean for Nigel Farage?

The latest defeat is another reminder that Farage’s political ambitions depend on more than favourable national opinion polls.

Reform has built much of its success around the argument that voters are abandoning traditional political parties.

However, the party now needs to prove that it can translate that dissatisfaction into lasting electoral victories.

Losing the Town ward after only a few months in control is not a disaster for Reform nationally, but it is an uncomfortable result.

It also comes at a time when the party faces competition from the Conservatives and Rupert Lowe’s Restore Britain.

The emergence of Restore has created further competition for voters who favour a tougher political approach.

Meanwhile, Labour is attempting to rebuild its electoral coalition.

If Reform continues losing local contests while Labour strengthens its position, Farage could face a much more difficult challenge at the next general election.

The party will need to demonstrate that its support is sustainable and that it can attract voters who want more than political protest.

Conclusion: Another Warning Sign for Reform as Labour Takes Back Control

Labour’s victory in Newcastle-under-Lyme represents an important local electoral success for the governing party.

Andrew Fox-Hewitt secured 431 votes, defeating Reform’s Adam Griffiths by 182 votes and taking a seat that Reform had won only months earlier.

The result will provide encouragement for Labour as it attempts to rebuild public confidence and challenge Farage’s growing political influence.

For Reform, the defeat highlights the difficulties of maintaining electoral support once the party moves beyond national campaigning and takes responsibility for local representation.

Although Farage’s party continues to control Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council, the loss demonstrates that voters are prepared to change their minds.

Labour will hope that the result represents the beginning of a wider recovery, while Reform will be eager to prevent further losses.

The political battle between the two parties is far from over.

But one thing is clear: Reform’s electoral success cannot be taken for granted, and Labour has shown that it still has the ability to take seats directly from Farage’s party.