Reform 'absolutely ready to run councils'

A Reform UK councillor has said her party is "absolutely" up to the job of governing in areas where it has won control during the recent local elections.

The party swept to power in Newcastle-under-Lyme, Sandwell and Walsall, while Labour held onto Wolverhampton. Other areas across the West Midlands were left in no overall control.

Elaine Williams, Reform UK group leader at Walsall Council, said they had been able to recruit some ex-councillors from other parties who had knowledge of running authorities.

"We are delighted with those results," she said, adding that the new councillors now needed to deliver for those who had put their faith in them.

She added: "I have voted Conservative in the past and we have lots of people who've also voted Labour. So Reform is attracting people from both parties – and some Liberal Democrats as well."

Williams also said she felt councils ought to be run on a business-like basis, and many of their councillors had a commercial background.

Birmingham Edgbaston Labour MP Preet Gill conceded it was a disappointing set of election results for her party.

"We've lost some really brilliant councillors," she said.

"It shows Labour has got a job on its hands to make sure people are hearing [about] its delivery and understanding what this party is for."

She added she was worried about what the limbo in Birmingham meant for provided services such as adult social care.

Gill said people had turned out to vote for a variety of different reasons – including national and international politics, as well as local issues such as the Birmingham bin strike or the state of the roads.

Meanwhile, Conservative MP for Meriden and Solihull East, Saqib Bhatti said his party knew it was going to be a "a tough night," but added his members still saw reasons for optimism.

"We will work hard, there has to be a focus on delivery, I think that's really key," he said.

"The electorate is never wrong, and they are clearly dissatisfied," he said.

"In the 2024 general election, the Conservative party got a drubbing and we deserve that. Trust takes a long time to rebuild."

Nevertheless, the party took a battering in Walsall, winning just ten seats while Reform took 40.

"They'll be holding Reform to account to make sure they deliver," Bhatti said.

Many people will be watching this week to find out which party, or combination of parties, is due to run their local authority – with no clear path in Birmingham, for instance, and conversations there yet to begin.

Meanwhile councils in Cannock, Tamworth, Coventry, Rugby, Nuneaton & Bedworth, Solihull, Redditch and Dudley are also under no overall control, signalling a challenging period ahead.

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