Tories win seat back from Reform by just eight votes

VICTORY IN COUNTY COUNCIL BY-ELECTION AFTER COUNCILLOR QUIT

- By JOE LOCKER

REFORM UK has lost a Nottingham-shire County Council seat they won just two months ago following a knife-edge by-election win for the Conservatives.

The Tories reclaimed the Newark West seat from Reform after the party’s previous winner resigned from his position after less than a week. Keith Girling won back his Nottinghamshire County Council seat with 680 votes - a majority of eight. Mr Girling previously held the seat for 18 years before losing it to Reform UK’s Desmond Clarke in the May election earlier this year.

A by-election was held on Thursday after Mr Clarke resigned due to what the party said was down to “personal circumstances”.

Mr Clarke was one of 40 Reform councillors who helped the party take control of Nottinghamshire County Council in May. He originally won with 35.9 percent share of the vote, and a majority of 153.