Reform UK won the Bilston North by-election on Wolverhampton Council, swinging 36 per cent for Labour.

Anita Stanley becomes Reform UK’s first Wolverhampton councilor, having won 652 seats in the election called after the death of Labor councilor Sue Roberts.

It will be a disappointing result for both main parties on Wolverhampton Council. Labor were handily defeated in the traditional Labor stronghold, while the Conservatives were pushed into fourth place behind the Greens.

Labor’s Luke Guy polled 471 votes to take second place, well ahead of Green Party candidate Hardev Singh on 438 votes.

Conservative Andrew Randle received 257 votes, and Liberal Democrat Julian Donald came fifth with 55 votes.

Turnout was just under 19.2 percent.

Among the first to congratulate her after the result was announced was her campaign manager, former Labor councilor Celia Hibbert, who is now an independent councilor for Penn ward.

“She is fantastic, thank you so much to everyone at Bilston North,” Councilor Hibbert said.

Paul Darke, leader of the Green Party in Wolverhampton, has called on Wolverhampton Council leader Councilor Stephen Simkins to consider his position in the wake of the result and the controversy surrounding councilor Greg Brackenridge, who resigned as chairman of the Fire Authority. of the West Midlands over claims he had falsely claimed to be a former Royal Marines commando.