Reform UK won three seats in six local council by-elections held across England on Thursday, but the results indicated a potential struggle for Nigel Farage's party as its vote share declined in several wards where it had previously won.
Labour secured two seats and the Conservative Party won one in the by-elections.
Despite winning three seats, Reform UK's vote share fell in all five wards it was contesting again when compared to its performance in May. This decline may be partly attributed to the emergence of a rival group, Restore Britain, which garnered a significant number of right-wing votes in these contests.
In wards within Wigan, Oldham, Hyndburn, North East Lincolnshire, and Suffolk councils, Reform's vote share was lower than earlier this year. The most substantial drop occurred in the Huncoat ward of Hyndburn Borough Council, where Reform's vote share was 29.8 percent, down from 49.2 percent in May. Restore Britain received 27.8 percent of the vote in Huncoat, narrowly missing third place behind Labour and Reform.
Nigel Farage's party also saw a decrease in vote share in the Hindley Green ward in Wigan (down 15.8 percentage points) and Failsworth West in Oldham (down 14.4 points). Further declines were noted in Croft Baker in North East Lincolnshire (down 9.5 points) and Bosmere in Suffolk (down 16 points) compared to May's results.
The Conservative Party reclaimed the Bosmere seat, which Reform UK had won in May. The Tories secured victory by just 23 votes over the Green Party, with Reform UK falling to third place in that ward. Restore Britain captured 7.9 percent of the vote in Bosmere. Conservative chairman Kevin Hollinrake described the result in Suffolk as 'brilliant,' highlighting a '15 percent swing' to the Conservatives from Reform.
Reform UK's deputy leader, Richard Tice, stated that the party had achieved 'strong' results across the six by-elections, including a victory in the Cheddleton ward in Staffordshire Moorlands. Tice pointed to Reform's average vote share of 34.3 percent across the six contests, compared to the Conservatives' 13.4 percent, as evidence that 'the Tories are no longer a national party.'
Rupert Lowe, the founder of Restore Britain, who previously left Reform UK, commented on the results for his new organization, calling them 'astonishing.' He posted on X, stating, 'Yesterday’s result in Hyndburn proved one thing - if you vote Restore Britain, you can get Restore Britain.'
Farage himself has recently acknowledged that Reform UK needs to 'energize' its voters following a 'difficult summer' marked by several controversies.