Labour take seat from Reform UK in by-election win

Labour has narrowly won a Leicestershire County Council by-election, taking a seat from Reform UK.

Voters went to the polls on Thursday to elect a new councillor for the Shepshed division.

Labour candidate Jane Lennie secured 1,163 votes, beating Reform's Stuart Wood by 53.

The result was confirmed after a recount, requested by Reform, because of the narrow margin.

Lennie was unable to attend the election count in the early hours of Friday morning, but Jewel Miah, leader of the Labour group on the county council, said it was a fantastic result for her and the party.

"The people of Shepshed have spoken and have chosen Labour to represent them because they felt let down by Reform," Miah said.

Restore Britain candidate Alex McKenzie got 228 votes, more than Labour's winning margin.

Wood told the BBC: "I hope they [Restore] are happy with themselves because now the people of Shepshed have a Labour councillor to represent them.

"It shows if you vote Restore, you get Labour."

The by-election was triggered by the resignation of the area's former Reform UK councillor Helen Butler, who quit her seat in August.

Butler won the seat for Reform in May 2025 with a 44.9% share of the vote, which fell to 31.2% on Thursday.

Labour's vote share increased from 17.9% in May 2025, to 32.7% this time around.

Labour's Loughborough MP Jeevun Sandher said: "This result shows there is a renewed faith in the Labour Party but we know we still have a lot of work to do.

"Jane is a brilliant person and a brilliant politician. She will be fantastic councillor for Shepshed."

Labour's victory means the party now has three councillors at County Hall.

Reform remains the largest party at County Hall, holding 23 of the 53 seats, and runs the council as a minority administration.

The Conservatives, whose candidate Sarah Monk came third in the by-election, have 15 seats and the Liberal Democrats have 11.

There is also one Green Party councillor, one Restore Britain member, and an independent.

• Katy Brookes-Duncan, Liberal Democrat - 115

• David Kellock, Green Party - 112

• Jane Lennie, Labour Party - 1,163

• Alexander McKenzie, Restore Britain - 228

• Sarah Monk, Conservative Party - 819

• Stuart Wood, Reform UK - 1,110

The turnout in the election was 29.65%.

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