Reform UK has gained another seat after beating Labour to Bassetlaw District Council’s Worksop East ward in a by-election.
Nancy Wright pipped Labour’s Cameron Holt to the post with 600 votes – 45.9% of the vote – compared to her opponent’s 485 (37.1%), to take the victory and make it Reform’s third gain of a council seat in less than two months.
Thursday’s (October 29) contest was held after the resignation of the Bassetlaw constituency’s Labour MP, Jo White, from the council in September, after she said she had “taken advice from senior officials” about a potential conflict of interest in juggling the two roles.
The last election for the ward was held in 2023 and was only contested by Labour and Conservative candidates, with three seats up for grabs.
Labour won all three back then, but one – Councillor Deborah Merryweather – now represents the independent “Bassetlaw First” party after being blocked from representing Restore Britain earlier this year.
And last night’s victory for Reform now means that Labour are left with just a third of the councillors representing the area.
Celebrating her victory, Cllr Wright said in a post online: “This election is a clear wake-up message to the Labour establishment in Bassetlaw and across the country that residents will no longer be taken for granted.
“My ministerial responsibilities can, at times, overlap with the work of local government, creating the risk of potential conflicts of interest between the two roles. I believe stepping down is the right decision.
“It has been a privilege to represent Worksop East as a district councillor for more than 14 years and to have served for almost a decade as deputy leader of Bassetlaw District Council. I deeply value these years of service to our community. I remain fully committed to representing the people of Bassetlaw as the Member of Parliament.”
Incoming councillor Wright also serves as chairperson of Norton, Cuckney, Holbeck and Welbeck Parish Council, a role she has held since 2023.
Her victory came on the same night that the Conservatives retained two seats on Nottinghamshire County and Newark and Sherwood District councils, where they beat second-placed Reform in both after the death of serving Tory councillor Roger Jackson.
The full results:
Worksop East ward, Bassetlaw District Council:
Anne Froggatt, Restore Britain: 91
Cameron Holt, Labour: 485
Anne Kean, Green: 42
Ben Storey, Conservative: 89
Nancy Wright, Reform UK: 600
By Joseph Connolly, Local Democracy Reporter
