Zetland Ward By Election Results: Lib Dem gain amid Reform controversy

The Liberal Democrats captured the Zetland ward seat on Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council as Alison Barnes took just over 50% of the vote, a result that follows a local controversy around the Reform candidate and comes amid a run of recent losses for Labour. The zetland ward by election results reflect a low turnout and a split field, and they add to immediate political pressure ahead of a looming parliamentary contest.

Zetland Ward By Election Results

Alison Barnes secured the seat after the resignation of an Independent councillor. Barnes received just over half of the ballots in a contest with several parties. Turnout in the ward was 26. 78%, with 886 ballot papers counted. Labour took 191 votes, roughly 22% of the total, while the Reform candidate recorded 119 votes, about 13%. Greens and Conservatives trailed behind those totals.

Why Reform controversy mattered

The Reform candidate remained on the ballot despite seeking to withdraw; the party withdrew its support after offensive social media posts were unearthed. Party the posts were unacceptable and that the candidate would not be allowed to sit as a party councillor if elected. The local branch halted campaigning on the candidate's behalf and the candidate stated he had resigned his membership. There were concerns that, had he won but refused to sign formal paperwork, the whole election might have needed to be re-run.

Local priorities and candidate background

Barnes, who previously represented the ward from 2019 to 2023, said she was "really, really pleased" with the result and pledged to focus on potholes and grass verges. She noted continued local activity during her time out of office and pointed to local work as a factor in the victory. The result returned the ward to the Liberal Democrats after she had lost the seat in the last round of local elections when two Labour councillors were elected.

Broader political context and near-term outlook

This win is one of three recent by-election defeats for Labour, a set of results that has been described as increasing pressure on the party's national leadership. In addition to Zetland, candidates from other parties took seats from Labour in separate local contests this week, producing three net losses for Labour on councils.

Observable indicators from the local contests include the vote shares and the low turnout figure in Zetland. If the pattern of reduced Labour shares continues in upcoming contests, the party will face clearer numerical pressure in both council arithmetic and national momentum. A parliamentary by-election scheduled for next week is the immediate event where these shifts will be watched closely, and campaign teams on all sides are likely to adjust messaging and resources in response to the string of local defeats.

• Key takeaways: Lib Dem win; low turnout (26. 78%); Labour lost multiple council seats this week.

The zetland ward by election results underline local issues and candidate controversies as decisive factors in a tight field. The near-term calendar of contests will show whether these outcomes represent local anomalies or an emerging trend that affects wider electoral prospects.