Local Council By-Elections October 2026

This month saw 49,764 votes cast in 26 local authority contests. All percentages are rounded to the nearest single decimal place. 15 council seats changed hands. For comparison with September's results, see here.

Party	Number of Candidates	Total Vote	%	+/- Sep	+/- Oct 25	Avge/ Contest	+/- Seats
Conservative	26	11,789	23.7%	+5.4	+7.9	453	+2
Labour	23	11,495	23.1%	+0.0	+10.6	500	+2
Lib Dem	19	5,225	10.5%	-1.8	-14.4	275	0
Reform	26	10,225	20.5%	+3.8	-9.4	393	-3
Green	17	4,107	8.3%	-11.3	+0.3	242	0
SNP*	4	3,162	6.4%	-0.4	+4.4	791	+1
PC**	1	397	0.8%	+0.1	+0.8	397	+1
Ind***	12	1,286	2.6%	+1.7	-2.4	107	-4
Other****	17	2,078	4.2%	+2.3	+2.1	122	+1

* There were four by-elections in Scotland
** There were two by-elections in Wales
*** There were two Independent clashes
**** Others this month were Christian People's Alliance (26), Flint People's Voice (566), Heritage Party (10), Independence for Scotland (95), Restore (246, 228, 159, 151, 134, 124, 91, 79, 76, 72, 55), SPGB (9), Yorkshire Party (57)

Another month of firsts! The first time Restore fielded more than 10 candidates. The first time Labour reported a net gain in councillors since August 2024. And, for the first time in the party's history, Reform ended a month with an overall loss of seats. If anyone was in any doubt, the Labour revival is real. The Reform decline is real. But, just edging it, the Tories were this month's winners. Can we take that as evidence of the so-called Keminaissance too? As the party has enjoyed a modest recovery in the polls, and is scrapping with Reform for second place again it would be churlish not to concede the point.

This is far from the return of "proper" politics though. Labour, for example, continue to post a recovery in raw votes. But the net gains are a combination of this and Restore's very helpful interventions. By my reckoning, Rupert Lowe's retinue of fascists denied Reform six victories in total, all bar one to Labour's benefit. A warning there to Reform that even they can't ride the tiger of racist politics forever. It will turn around and eat you eventually.

Looking at November, there are 24 by-elections to keep us interested. 10 are Labour defences, and seven are currently held by Reform. It could get bloody.

1 October
Blackpool, Claremont, Lab hold
Highland, Wick & East Caithness, LDem gain from Ind
North West Leicestershire, Long Whatton & Diseworth, Con hold
Northumberland, Amble, Lab gain from Ref
Northumberland, Hirst, Lab gain from Ref
Stirling, Forth & Endrick, Con hold

8 October
Aberdeen, Rosemount/Midstocket, SNP hold
Amber Valley, Kilburn, Denby, Holbrook & Horsley, Grn gain from Con
Lambeth, Myatt's Fields, Lab hold
Newcastle-under-Lyme, Town, Lab gain from Ref

13 October
Stroud, Rodborough, Lab hold

15 October
Flintshire, Higher Kinnerton, Oth gain from Ind
Leicestershire, Shepshed, Lab gain from Ref
Mid Devon, Bradninch, LDem hold
Wiltshire, Salisbury Milford, LDem hold

22 October
Carmarthenshire, Saron, PC gain from Lab
East Hertfordshire, Hertford Kingsmead, Con gain from Grn
Leeds, Calverley & Farsley, Con gain from Lab
South Kesteven, Grantham St Wulfram's, Con gain from Ind
Wychavon, Hartlebury, Con hold

29 October
Argyll & Bute, Mid Argyll, SNP gain from Ind
Bassetlaw, Worksop East, Ref gain from Lab
Dudley, St James, Lab gain from Ref
Halton, Beechwood & Heath, Ref gain from LDem
Newark & Sherwood, Dover Beck, Con hold
Nottinghamshire, Southwell, Con hold