COUNCIL BY-ELECTIONS 25.09.25

Five by-elections were held this week, including a rare Wednesday contest.  That early election was this week's only Labour defence and, once again, they lost to Reform.  The other four seats were all being defended by leftists - three Green and one SNP.

The Greens held south of the border, despite a double digit drop in vote share.  Intriguingly, there appeared to be a significant swing to newcomers Reform, who came second in both seats.

In the Highlands, the Greens did not contest a seat they had previously won unopposed.  It was a busy field to replace the outgoing Green, at odds with the Greens' apparent inability to locate a candidate of their own.  An independent ended up victorious, while it was the Lib Dems who emerged winners in the other seat, taking advantage of the SNP's fall from grace.

Rolvenden & Tenterden West, Ashford Borough Council

Grn: 262 (36.5%) -16.9%

Ref: 227 (31.6%) New

Con: 200 (27.9%) -10.3%

LDm: 19 (2.6%) New

Lab: 10 (1.4%) -7.0%

Grn HOLD

Tain & Easter Ross, Highland Council

(first preference votes)

LDm: 935 (38.8%) +13.8%

Ind: 686 (28.4%) New

SNP: 356 (14.8%) -10.6%

Ref: 312 (12.9%) New

Grn: 78 (3.2%) -0.4%

Con: 45 (1.9%) -3.5%

LDm GAIN from SNP (elected stage 6)

Caol & Mallaig, Highland Council

(first preference votes)

Ind: 867 (36.3%)

Ind: 723 (30.3%)

LDm: 404 (16.9%)

SNP: 207 (8.7%)

Ref: 116 (4.9%)

Ind: 30 (1.3%)

Lab: 25 (1.0%)

Con: 18 (0.8%)

Ind GAIN from Grn (elected stage 8, Grn previously elected unopposed)

Woodhouse Park, Manchester City Council

Grn: 826 (43.8%) -15.4%

Ref: 556 (29.5%) New

Lab: 386 (20.5%) -12.9%

Con: 72 (3.8%) -1.1%

LDm: 47 (2.5%) -0.2%

Grn HOLD

Thetford Castle, Breckland District Council

(held on Wednesday)

Ref: 512 (47.3%) New

Lab: 289 (26.7%) -22.7%

Con: 164 (15.1%) -18.6%

LDm: 118 (10.9%) New

Ref GAIN from Lab