Labour, Tories and Lib Dems win in Telford and Wrekin by-elections

Labour, the Conservatives and the Lib Dems all had victories to cheer as the main parties in Telford and Wrekin scored by-election wins at parish council level.

Two Reform UK candidates notched up second places in Thursday's (April 30) by-elections - in Dawley Hamlets and The Gorge - as the party looks to make an impact at borough-wide all-out elections next year.

The Greens' best performance was its third-place finish out of five in The Gorge, where Zack Polanski's party finished behind Labour and Reform UK.

The Newport South ward recorded the highest turnout - 31.53 per cent - as Lib Dem David Ellams saw off strong challenges from the Conservatives and an Independent.

Away from its market town stronghold, Ed Davey's party failed to hit double figures in the other two by-elections where its six- and nine-vote totals gave the Lib Dems two last places.

Mr Ellams, aged 49, said he was "very happy" to join Newport Town Council and thanked voters and his opponents.

The ward became vacant after the resignation of veteran Tory Rodney Pitts whose party finished in second place on 174 votes to Mr Ellams's 192 in the battle to claim the marginal seat.

"I am immensely grateful to the people of Newport and I want to thank the other candidates for an extremely clean campaign," said Mr Ellams.

"I am honoured to join team Newport."

There was Tory joy in the Dawley Hamlets Smallhill ward where Conservative Jack Hudson's 40 votes meant he took the former Labour seat by just four votes from Reform UK on a turnout of 26.91 per cent.

Mr Hudson, aged 25, promised to "work my absolute socks off" for the ward.

He added that he hopes residents "will be sick and tired of seeing me and I can't wait to get going on it”.

One issue he wants to work on is securing grit bins that are filled "before next winter”.

"The basics have been overlooked by the parish council and the borough council," Mr Hudson said.

"Let's get the basics right."

The lowest turnout was 17.99 per cent in The Gorge Parish Council's Lightmoor ward where fewer than one in five voters cast their ballots.

There, Labour borough councillor and former mayor Ian Preece added another hat to his civic responsibilities by holding back Reform UK by 67 votes to 45.

"I am absolutely delighted," said Mr Preece, aged 46. "Thank you to the people who voted.

"It is an absolute honour to be elected. I will do the best I can."

Mr Preece added that it was a "bit of a shame" to see the turnout below 18 per cent.

Reform UK's John Rickhuss congratulated Mr Preece on his victory after the count at Turreff Hall in Donnington.

Mr Rickhuss, aged 66, is a former Labour supporter who used to run large businesses and believes Nigel Farage's turquoise troops can make a big difference.

His party colleagues are confident they can make a big impact at the borough-wide all-out elections, especially in Telford.

Mr Rickhuss said voters were disillusioned with Labour and the Conservatives.

"Reform UK can make a difference," he added.

Many of the 15 people who stood in the three by-elections were first-time candidates, including the Green party's Sara Giles, aged 38, a business owner who wanted to make a difference in Newport South. Her 58 votes meant she finished in fifth and last spot.

Independent Matthew Swift, aged 43, also stood in Newport South as a first-time candidate where he finished in third place to the Lib Dems and Conservatives.

Senior politicians from across the borough's political spectrum were at the count to crunch the numbers and give their reaction.

Labour campaigner and councillor Ollie Vickers had a dig at Reform UK representatives for "running out" of the count venue "when they realised they weren't winning”.

The leader of the Conservatives on Telford & Wrekin Council, Andrew Eade, took heart after his party grabbed a Labour seat in Dawley Hamlets while being disappointed not to keep hold in Newport South.

Councillor Richard Overton, Labour's deputy leader on Telford & Wrekin Council, said: "People have returned to the three main parties and rejected the extremes on the left and right."

The results in full:

Newport Town Council, South ward: David Arwyn Ellams, Liberal Democrat Focus Team, 192; Sara Giles, Green Party, 58; Parwiz Karimi, Local Conservatives 174, Stephen Lumley, Labour Party, 74 and Matthew James Swift, Independent, 167.

The Gorge Parish Council, Lightmoor ward: Kathryn Banks, Local Conservatives, 17; Jazz Holmes, Green Party 39; Paul Martin Howard, Liberal Democrats, 9; Ian Preece, Labour Party, 67 and John Rickhuss, Reform UK, 45.

Dawley Hamlets Parish Council, Smallhill ward: Archie William Barnett, Liberal Democrats, 6; Byron Cooke, Labour Party, 27; Jack Ryan Hudson, Local Conservatives, 40; Gill Owen, Green Party, 14 and Gary Stackhouse, Reform UK, 36.