Reform gains control of Newcastle-under-Lyme in historic night for party31 minutes agoRichard Price,in TamworthandJennie Aitken,in Newcastle-under-LymeBBCReform UK has gained control of Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council in an historic night for the party in Staffordshire.Reform took 27 seats, with the Conservatives retaining 15 and Labour two. Martin Rogerson, Reform’s branch chairman for Newcastle-under-Lyme, said: “We’ve come out on top but we’ve got a job to do – we’ll do the best for the people who elected us. Richard Reform’s deputy leader Richard Tice said he was “absolutely delighted” with the results and said voters had turned out to “repaint the red wall, the turquoise wall”.Counting in Cannock Chase is due to get under way later.Newcastle-under-LymeIn Newcastle-under-Lyme, Reform UK needed 23 seats for a majority and won 27.The Conservatives claimed 15 seats and Labour two.Going into the election, the Conservatives had 26 seats, with 17 for Labour and one for Reform UK.Turnout was 47.8%, an increase on 43% in 2022.Among those elected were former Conservative MP for Stoke-on-Trent North Jonathan Gullis, who is now a Reform councillor for Kidsgrove and Ravenscliffe.Another former Conservative MP Jeremy Lefroy was elected as a councillor for Maer and Whitmore.Both Conservative group leader Simon Tagg and Labour group leader Dave Jones clung on to the Westlands and Keele seats respectively.Jones described the elections as “humbling” for his party.Rogerson, who was newly-elected for Talke and Butt Lane, said: “We are delighted and humbled that people have placed their trust in us and I promise that we will get to work straight away delivering local services. He The The ” ” ” ” ” Reform Paul “No silly antics, we won’t be playing party politics with it, we will deliver for Tamworth,” he said.A further election in the Wilnecote ward in Tamworth will take place at a later date, due to the death of one of the candidates in the weeks before the polls opened.CannockCannock Chase has also been historically considered a Labour heartland, and at the district council the party held 18 of the 36 seats going into Thursday’s election.Even though only a third of the seats were being contested, the battle for those 12 seats could easily see a shift in power.In 2025, Reform took all eight of Cannock’s county divisions, a success they will be looking to build on this year. The Greens will also be looking to expand their representation here.Some of the wards up for grabs include Norton Canes, Hednesford and Brereton.Follow BBC Stoke & Staffordshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.More on this storyPolls close in West Midlands local electionsRelated internet linksNewcastle-under-Lyme Borough CouncilTamworth Borough CouncilCannock Chase District CouncilEngland local elections 2026Conservative PartyCannockNewcastle under Lyme CouncilStoke-on-TrentNewcastle under LymeReform UKUK elections 2026Tamworth Borough CouncilCannock Chase CouncilLabour PartyTamworth
