Reform makes big gains in Dudley as Labour lose seats

Reform UK has won 22 of the 25 seats up for election in Dudley in the local elections.

Labour lost all but one seat, the Conservatives dropped six seats and held two and the Liberal Democrats lost one seat.

The result leaves Dudley Council still in no overall control, with Reform the second biggest party with 23 seats behind the Tories' 27.

Before this vote, the Conservatives ran the council with the most seats, but did not have a majority, so worked with the Lib Dems.

Ex-Conservative MP for Dudley North Marco Longhi defected to Reform before running for a council seat in Upper Gornal and Woodsetton and winning.

Reform in Dudley would not do deals with the Tories, he stated.

Longhi said people in the area would get "a scenario where we will be holding the existing Conservative administration much more to account".

He stated it had been "an extraordinary night for us", after he had set a target for the party to win 15 seats.

Asked why he thought people in Dudley had supported Reform in this way, Longhi replied that "they want change".

"They've had Tory and Labour administrations in the council passing the baton, just as has happened in government.

"On the doorstep, I remember when I lost my election as a Conservative MP, the message on the doorstep was 'you're all the same'... they're looking at Reform as that bastion of hope."

The leader of the Labour group at the council, Adam Aston, said he was not going to "sugarcoat the result".

It would "vehemently hold to account the decision makers [in Dudley], whoever that is", he added.

Asked if he sensed he would be in opposition and would think of aligning with the largest party, Aston said although he appreciated there were probably "conversations to be had", it would be "very unusual to align ourselves with either the Conservatives or Reform".

"There are parties to our left, but the numbers just don't work. But we've got our annual general meeting of the group tonight where we'll have those discussions."

Aston stated the group found itself "in unchartered territory", as he thought to be the third largest party in Dudley was "unheard of since the creation of the borough".

The council leader, Patrick Harley, from the Conservative Party, pointed out that the Tories were still the largest group.

Asked if he expected to remain as council leader, he replied "absolutely".

"I have the experience to continue to drive the borough forward, but I've also got the experience to do deals and negotiations with those other group leaders."

Asked who he was targeting for his first deal, Harley said "good question, but I'll just wait to see what's on offer".

He later said "you can have a deal where all the parties have an input into how we run the authority".

The leader added: "My group and myself will deliver the policy, but that policy is then there to be tweaked by any of the other political groups with amendments throughout the course of the municipal year."

The Black Country Party lost all three of its seats.

There are a couple of new younger faces on the council now - both representing Reform UK - Joel Hyde, 19, was elected for the Brockmoor and Pensnett ward, while Samuel Hussey, 21, will represent Wordsley North.

Results are expected later for Birmingham, Walsall, Sandwell and Solihull.

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