Reform UK has held off a Lib Dem surge to win the Throckley, Walbottle and Newburn by-election in Newcastle. Martin Evison, a retired forensic science professor, secured the seat for Reform after voters went to the polls on Thursday following the resignation of Reform councillor Amy Hunter earlier this summer.
Reform's victory and council balance
Mr Evison beat Liberal Democrat Stephen Kelly, who ran a strong challenge. The result means Reform resumes its place as the city's second largest party, with 24 of the council's 78 seats. The Lib Dems, who hold 25, currently run a minority administration at the Civic Centre with the support of the 23-strong Green group.
Following the by-election, the makeup of the council is now: Lib Dem 25, Reform UK 24, Green 23, Independents 4, Labour 2.
Candidate's response and party reaction
Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service afterwards, Mr Evison said: "Fundamentally I want to help continue doing the very good work that has been done in the ward [since May's local elections], responding to residents' concerns and doing our best to help them solve problems. We want to do something about the neglect that has affected the ward for too long."
He previously stood unsuccessfully for Reform in the Fawdon and West Gosforth ward in May and was the SDP's parliamentary candidate for Newcastle North in the 2024 general election.
Steven Rutherford, Reform UK's opposition leader in Newcastle, said the result cemented the party's position of strength in the outer west. He added: "I think it shows that the wards where Reform are in Newcastle are ours and nobody is going to take them."
Labour's challenge and Lib Dem gains
The by-election had offered the prospect of Labour taking a first step on a long road to recovery in Newcastle. A humiliating collapse at this year's local elections saw Labour removed from power in the city and reduced to just two councillors. But with Andy Burnham's arrival as the new Prime Minister sparking a bounce in the polls, activists on Tyneside may have held some hope of success in a seat where their candidate Linda Wright was Reform's closest challenger in May.
The task proved too much, however, and it was actually the Lib Dems who ran Reform closest after campaigning heavily. Having secured around 5% of the vote in the ward in May, the Lib Dems' share jumped to almost 30%. Their deputy leader, Mark Mitchell, said: "Labour under Andy Burnham are apparently going nowhere in Newcastle and Reform's vote dropped 7%. This was an area that should have been very strong for Reform, but we have demonstrated that when we have a strong candidate and talk about local issues then we can win."
Full by-election result
May's election results left the city council in a state of flux, with no party coming close to claiming an overall majority. While Thursday night's result was not one that could have seen the control of the council change hands again, the finely poised balance of power means that any by-election can have significant implications in the council chamber.
The full Throckley, Walbottle and Newburn by-election result was: Kimberley Barrass (Green) - 103, Martin Evison (Reform UK) - 901, Alexis Fernandes (Conservative) - 101, Stephen Kelly (Lib Dem) - 670, Linda Wright (Labour) - 534. Turnout was 33%.
