Reform UK becomes biggest party in Warwickshire as Tories implode in local elections

Reform UK has become the largest party in Warwickshire following Thursday’s local elections, with the Conservatives’ eight-year hold on Warwickshire County Council coming to an end.

The Council includes Leamington Spa, Warwick, and Kenilworth, and has control over bin collections and social services throughout the region, alongside other responsibilities.

The Tories, who won 42 of 57 seats when elections were last held in 2021, collapsed into third place with only nine, losing incumbent council leader Izzi Seccombe.

Reform ate into Seccombe’s vote share in the Stour & the Vale ward, leaving the seat to be won by Lib Dem candidate David Curtis, despite a drop in votes for Curtis’ party since 2021.

Nigel Farage’s party surged to 23 seats across the county, painting election maps turquoise by sweeping wards in North Warwickshire, Nuneaton, and Bedworth.

South of the River Leam, it was the Green candidates who comfortably prevailed

Meanwhile, the Liberal Democrats came in second, gaining nine seats for a total of 14, while the Greens dominated in Leamington Spa and Kenilworth, after launching their local elections campaign in the latter town.

Keir Starmer’s Labour Party lost half of its six Warwickshire councillors, bringing its tally down to three.

The Lib Dems, however, comfortably held onto Leamington North and nearby Leamington Milverton.

The party also gained Leamington Clarendon from the Labour Party, with public sector consultant Max Langer unseating incumbent Sarah Millar by a mere 28 votes.

South of the River Leam, it was the Green candidates who comfortably prevailed.

Incumbent councillors Jonathan Chilvers and Will Roberts held Leamington Brunswick and Leamington Willes respectively, with both winning over 60% of the vote.

Building on the party’s strong performance in Leamington, Green candidate Mark Stevens narrowly gained Lapworth and West Kenilworth from the Tories.

Thank you to all those whose vote contributed to my win in today’s County elections. I look forward to engaging with you as we move forward. Go Greens!

Mark Stevens, winning Green Party candidate, Lapworth and West Kenilworth

The ward includes the University accommodations of Heronbank, Lakeside, Sherbourne, and Cryfield Village.

The newly formed Warwick Greens society assisted Stevens’ campaign, canvassing for him and hosting an on-campus event with him earlier this term.

In response to the victory, Stevens thanked his supporters, telling The Boar: “Thank you to all those whose vote contributed to my win in today’s County elections. I look forward to engaging with you as we move forward. Go Greens!”

In a comment to The Boar, Elliot Retzepis, President of Warwick Greens, said: “As such a new society on campus, we are excited to have worked on helping Mark get elected. We are looking forward to carrying on the Green wave and working with Mark and the other Green councillors to improve Warwickshire for students.”

Alongside the Greens, several political societies at Warwick were heavily involved in the election campaign.

Warwick Labour, the Warwick Liberal Democrats, and the University of Warwick Conservative Association (UWCA) all canvassed in the local area in the run up to the elections.

Rachel Green, Vice President of the Warwick University Lib Dems, told The Boar about the society’s findings on the campaign trail, stating that “on the doorstep, it’s been very clear that residents are fed up with the two-party system of Labour and the Conservatives”.

“People are looking for sensible, grounded alternatives,” Green said, “and increasingly, they see the Lib Dems as exactly that. The campaigning we put into this election, as a society, has been a very eye-opening experience, as well as a great way to get our steps in, and there’s usually a well-earned pint afterwards.”

Whilst we are disappointed with the results […], we have not been discouraged from continuing to show our support for all of the hardworking Conservative Associations, and officials, across Warwickshire and the country as a whole

University of Warwick Conservative Association (UWCA) statement

The University’s Conservative Association also praised its members’ efforts.

In an Instagram statement, the UWCA said: “[We have] had an incredibly busy past two weeks campaigning for the local elections.

“We have travelled 450 miles, supporting 14 candidates across 21 sessions! We would like to thank every member who has given up their time to join us in these campaigns. We also wish to thank all of the wonderful candidates, and associations, for their great hospitality.

“Whilst we are disappointed with the results seen in Warwickshire, and the rest of the country, we have not been discouraged from continuing to show our support for all of the hardworking Conservative Associations, and officials, across Warwickshire and the country as a whole.”

Some students also ran as candidates, including second-years William De Save, Jack Alexander, and Lucy Marshall, who contested wards in Leamington Spa for the Conservatives. All three, not affiliated with the UWCA, were unsuccessful.

Speaking on her campaign, Marshall told The Boar: “I really enjoyed standing for election myself. I learnt a lot through the experience and helping in my fellow candidates’ campaigns, which I hope to be able to put to good use in any future campaigns I undertake.”

In spite of the result, […] I was privileged to be involved in the democratic process, and play my role in a phenomenon many of us take for granted

William De Save, Conservative candidate, Leamington Clarendon

Reflecting on the result’s significance for the future of the Conservative Party, De Save commented: “Many Conservatives will be worried about Reform’s unprecedented success – I include myself in that group. But attempts to morph into a Reform-esque organisation will only end in failure, as people will not vote for a copy of Reform when they can vote for the real thing.

“We need to hold our nerve, restore our reputation for economic competence, restore trust with the British people and continue to hold the government to account – locally and nationally.”

“In spite of the result,” De Save told The Boar, “I was privileged to be involved in the democratic process, and play my role in a phenomenon many of us take for granted. I met some fantastic people from across the political spectrum, and it was heartening to see so many residents offer themselves up for public service. I wish Max Langer the very best of luck, he will be an excellent local champion for Leamington Clarendon.”

With both the Tories and Labour being routed by third parties, the contests in Warwickshire were emblematic of events elsewhere in England.

The Tories, having held the majority of seats up for election off the back of a strong showing in 2021, bled support across the board.

The party lost 676 councillors, failing to win overall control of a single council or mayoralty.

Party leader Kemi Badenoch responded to the results in The Telegraph, stating that they represented a “bloodbath” for the Conservatives.

Meanwhile, Labour lost 186 seats across the country, while also losing a parliamentary by-election in Runcorn and Helsby to Reform by just six votes.

Writing in The Times, Prime Minister Keir Starmer affirmed that he would not give in to “ideological zealotry” from Farage’s party.

Our message is clear: things have to change, and change dramatically, or people will suffer significantly

Ed Swann, Warwick Labour Chair

Responding to Reform’s success more nationally, Warwick Labour Chair, Ed Swann, wrote to The Boar: “Watching countless seats fall into the hands of a party with the interests of only themselves at heart was a tough one to take, especially for many of us who now have to go back to our communities like Bolsover, Kent and Nottinghamshire, and face the harsh reality that our homes will be significantly worse off for having Reform in control.”

“Within just 10 months,” Swann added, “Labour, a party once of trade unions, communities and real socialism, a party that has achieved so much despite its short time in power historically, has completely destroyed any positive image it once held, having detrimental impacts across the country, including in our own communities of Coventry and Warwickshire, where we were very disappointed to see Labour, and the wider left, be truly beaten by those who use false consciousness for power grabs.

“Our message is clear: things have to change, and change dramatically, or people will suffer significantly. That’s why we’re as determined as ever to grow the left, both within and outside of the Labour Party, because real change comes from the strength of our common endeavour, for the many not the few.”

The Chair of the Warwick and Leamington Reform branch, Nigel Clarke, has said his party would be willing to form [a coalition] agreement with the Tories

With no party having won a majority in Warwickshire, coalition negotiations will now take place to form an administration.

The Chair of the Warwick and Leamington Reform branch, Nigel Clarke, has said his party would be willing to form an agreement with the Tories.

However, other coalition arrangements that could lock Reform out of government are also on the table – such as an “unlikely” agreement between the Liberal Democrats, Tories, and Greens.

Writing to The Boar, Warwick Lib Dems touched on what lies ahead for the party in Warwickshire’s local government.

“Winning 14 of the 57 seats across Warwickshire is an excellent result for the Lib Dems,” the society said, “and a clear sign that voters are turning towards pragmatic, community-focused representation.

As the second largest group on the council, the Lib Dems will be committed to holding [Reform UK’s] actions to account, to create the Warwickshire that residents deserve

Warwick Liberal Democrats

“While Reform UK may have emerged as the largest party, they’ve fallen short of a majority. As the second largest group on the council, the Lib Dems will be committed to holding their actions to account, to create the Warwickshire that residents deserve.

“The Lib Dems’ strength in this election has been selecting candidates who genuinely care about their local areas, who know their communities intimately, and who are determined to deliver real improvements. With the Lib Dems holding this many seats on the council, and nationally, there is real hope for the future.”

The society concluded: “We are proud to be the party of local champions, which Warwickshire seems to desperately need right now.”