Labour narrowly holds council seat from Reform UK

Labour has narrowly beaten Reform UK in a council by-election.

Ben Carter held the seat for Labour on Telford and Wrekin Council in Shropshire, winning 21 more votes than Reform's Doug Halsall.

The Malinslee and Dawley Bank seat became vacant in May after the town's Labour MP and former council leader, Shaun Davies, announced that he was stepping down from the authority.

The slim victory in a ward that Davies convincingly won in 2023 may further concern some Labour councillors and party members who have already expressed fear of "being wiped out" during local elections next May.

Reform said it had received a lot of support on the doorstep and expected to do very well in 2027, when all borough seats are up for election.

"We fought a good campaign and pushed them in their strongest seat," said Halsall, who joined Telford's Reform UK group seven months ago.

"I don't think Labour expected to be pushed that much."

Carter said he was grateful for all the support he received during the campaign, and vowed to tackle rogue landlords, protect green spaces and get more potholes fixed.

He is the current mayor of Great Dawley Town Council.

Turnout for the vote was 24.25%, and here are the results in full:

• Ben Carter (Labour Party) – 590 votes
• Doug Halsall (Reform UK) – 569 votes
• Thomas Hoof (Local Conservatives) – 104 votes
• Jazz Homes (Green Party) – 76 votes
• Patrick Doody (Liberal Democrats) – 35 votes

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