Labour lose all seats on Kirklees Council

Reform UK has become the largest party on Kirklees Council after previously having no representation, while ruling party Labour fail to secure a single seat.

Reform won 29 seats, with 14 Independents, 12 Greens, nine Conservatives and five Liberal Democrats also elected, with no overall control for any party.

Kirklees' Labour group leader Carole Pattison, who lost her Greenhead ward seat to the Greens, said she was "seriously concerned" about the lack of experience those who made gains had in local politics.

Pattison added: "The message has been 'get Starmer out', but this is about local services, Starmer isn't standing in this election."

Reform managed to secure majorities in Liversedge and Gomersal, Colne Valley East, Heckmondwike, and Almondbury.

This year marks the first year the party has taken elected seats on Kirklees Council, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Reform UK's Sarah Wood, who won the Liversedge and Gomersal seat, said people on doorsteps in Kirklees had been sharing "a lot of apathy with the establishment".

"There was also a ground swell of 'we just need a change' and need to turn the ship around, along with a willingness to have faith," she said.

Speaking on next steps, Wood explained the priority would not be on "replicating" previous councils.

"We do have a lot of Reform councillors from the 2025 elections, for this area it's new," she said.

"It doesn't work for us to go in and be like the other councillors that we have replaced…We are not looking to replicate them.

"We are looking to do what we need to do in terms of legislation and how we can make changes."

Turnout for Kirklees' all-out election, where every seat was up for grabs, was 41%.

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