Zetland Ward By Election Results — zetland ward by election results bring Lib Dem gain
The Liberal Democrats captured Zetland in Redcar and Cleveland as Alison Barnes won with just over 50% of the vote, a victory that followed Reform’s withdrawal of support for its candidate after offensive social media posts were uncovered. The outcome matters now because it forms one of three council losses for the Labour Party this week, increasing scrutiny ahead of a parliamentary by-election next week.
Zetland Ward By Election Results
Alison Barnes was elected to Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council after the resignation of an Independent councillor. Barnes received just over half of the ballots cast; turnout was 26. 78%, with 886 papers counted. Labour polled 191 votes, roughly 22% of the total, while the Reform candidate finished third with 119 votes, about 13%.
zetland ward by election results
The contest was complicated by the fact that the Reform candidate remained on the ballot despite saying he wished to withdraw once offensive posts were uncovered. The party withdrew its support and stated the unearthed social media material was unacceptable; party figures described the posts as containing "sickening insults at Jewish and Muslim communities. " Concerns were raised during the count that, had the withdrawn candidate won and refused to sign the formal paperwork, the election might have needed to be rerun. The candidate stepped away from campaigning and later resigned his membership.
Labour's three recent defeats
Thursday’s result in Zetland completed a trio of council losses for Labour this week. In Caerphilly’s Van ward, Plaid Cymru won with about 43% of the vote and a majority of 128 votes; Labour finished with roughly 27% and Reform around 29%. In Leicester’s Stoneygate ward the Green candidate, Aasiya Bora, was elected with 1, 195 votes, beating the Labour candidate who took 1, 089 votes; Bora described that win as "breathtaking. " Together with the Zetland gain for the Liberal Democrats, the three results represent three seats lost by Labour and three taken by other parties.
What this means next
The string of defeats sharpens the focus on Labour’s standing ahead of the parliamentary by-election in Gorton and Denton next week, where the party will face challenges from both the Greens on the left and Reform on the right. If local vote shares observed in these council contests remain depressed for Labour, the party could face increased difficulty holding seats in closely fought contests. The near-term outlook will depend on whether party vote shares recover in the coming days and on turnout patterns in the parliamentary contest; those indicators will be watched closely.
Barnes, who previously represented the ward from 2019 to 2023 before losing her seat at the last local elections, said she had continued local work while out of office and pledged to focus on potholes and grass verges. She described herself as "really, really pleased" with the result and suggested the Labour Party's "star has somewhat waned" in the area since her earlier defeat.
