By GB News (Politics) | Created at 2026-06-19 19:26:51 | Updated at 2026-06-19 21:10:15
2 hours ago
Britons up and down the nation headed to the polls yesterday, with local elections going under the radar during a night of historic election results.
While the media swarmed Andy Burnham's Westminster comeback and the Tories' hold on a Scottish National Party stronghold, councillors in Wales, Essex, and London's Lewisham borough are celebrating successes and beginning to shape the national debate from today.
But, with chaos ensuing in Makerfield, two Reform UK council by-election victories flew under the radar, while they also suffered a double defeat which sent shockwaves through Nigel Farage's backyard overnight.
Back during the local elections in May, Reform UK stormed to victory across former Tory heartlands, where the likes of Mr Farage, Sir James Cleverly, Dame Priti Patel and Kemi Badenoch reside.
Mr Farage's party took home 53 out of a possible 78 seats on the local authority, while the Tories dropped from 52 to a measly 13.
However, after one of Reform's Essex councillors resigned a few days following the win, the Conservatives emerged victorious, taking home 35 per cent of the vote, a 17.5 per cent boost on just last month, and their 14th councillor, Stuart Belton.
Meanwhile, Reform UK dropped to third place with a 24.4 per cent vote share, behind the Liberal Democrats' 30 per cent.
The Tories' victory over their right-wing rivals was doubled with Mr Belton's wife, Danielle, winning her seat on Rochford Council on the same night.
The Tories have celebrated their wins last night
GETTY
With a comfortable 56 per cent of the vote share, the former council leader was catapulted into the local authority, a jump of a whopping 39 per cent from the previous election last month.
Reform UK came second with 24.8 per cent of the vote, with a 15 per cent drop in support across the ward.
On her win, she said: "Thank you to every single person that came out and supported the campaign, and to everyone of the 1049 people that came out to Vote Belton."
Deputy chairman Matt Vickers hailed the "incredible" result.
There were two wards where Reform UK emerged victorious beyond Makerfield
GETTY
Nevertheless, Reform UK emerged victorious in two Welsh wards in Conwy: Gogarth Mostyn and Tudno.
In Gogarth Mostyn, Mr Farage's party took home 33.8 per cent of the vote, booting out the Conservatives from the seat.
The Tories came second with 27.7 per cent of the vote, while Labour is hot on their heels with 26.3 per cent of local support.
Over in Tudono, Reform UK won 43.4 per cent of the vote, with the Tories and Labour coming second and third, with 21.9 per cent and 20.8 per cent of support.
Meanwhile, the Greens secured a win in Lewisham, taking home 44.9 per cent of the vote, with Labour just losing out with 44.5 per cent of the vote.
The campaign was laden with controversy after a post from 2013 resurfaced where Green victor Esther Lie said Indian men had "rapey grins", for which she later apologised.
Despite the party's wins, Mr Farage conceded there were "small pockets" of Tory revival across the nation, which were witnessed overnight.
The Conservatives achieved a landmark win in the Aberdeen South by-election overnight in what was described as a referendum on North Sea oil.
Mr Farage, who admitted he was left "disappointed" by the Makerfield result, is now being warned Reform UK's support is falling from its peak.
A Conservative Party veteran told GB News: "We are watching the slow puncture of the Reform balloon.
"They had a 10-point lead over Labour in the polls and won every seat in Makerfield at the locals, but, as they have at the last three by-elections, Reform have lost yet again.
"Farage is ducking press conferences to avoid answering questions about his £5million crypto bung. Yusuf is too chicken to stand as a candidate."
