MPs: County election result 'a very vivid wake-up call' for Labour

LABOUR has been given a “vivid wake-up call” following near-total defeat in the Derbyshire County Council elections, its MPs say.

- By EDDIE BISKNELL

In an eight-week sprint from a standing start, Reform UK now holds control of Derbyshire County Council with 42 councillors - having had none before the campaign - with Labour reduced to just three members.

However, the county retains its full house of Derbyshire MPs - and now they have had their say on the results and what happens next.

Chesterfield MP Toby Perkins told the Derby Telegraph: “It was clearly a hugely disappointing set of results for the Labour Party and a very vivid wake-up call for us.

“It is clear the scale of defeat is substantial and, unfortunately, we have lost some excellent councillors through no fault of their own. Reform do not appear to have any sort of manifesto and we are very unclear about what their policies will be on education, roads, social services, care homes etc but we wish the new members well and we will be keeping an eye on the decisions they make.”

Nigel Farage on his visit to Denby during the campaign said he would not back any of the local government reorganisation options put forward by the then Conservative administration and the districts, boroughs and city council. He had said there was no public mandate for the reorganisation so his party would not be submitting bids.

Mr Perkins said if this turns out to be the case in Derbyshire then Reform would be “abdicating its responsibility”.

Jon Pearce, High Peak MP, said: “I wasn't surprised to see after eight disastrous years running Derbyshire County Council that voters threw the Conservatives out of County Hall.