Reform makes big gains in Plymouth election

Reform UK has been celebrating after gaining 14 seats at Plymouth City Council in the local elections.

Labour entered the election knowing they could not lose control of the authority, but ended the count with nine fewer councillors compared to the last time the seats were contested in 2022. The party has a majority of five following the election.

The gains by Reform have moved it to the second largest group in Plymouth, Devon, with 16 councillors.

The Conservatives lost six seats - taking its councillors to three. The Green Party gained one seat to move up to three councillors while the independent group ended with four members - no change from 2022.

Reform gained seats in the Budshead, Compton, Devonport, Efford and Lipson, Eggbuckland, Ham, Honicknowle, Moor View, Plympton Chaddlewood, Plympton St Mary, Plymstock Dunstone, Southway, St Budeaux, and St Peter and the Waterfront wards - claiming all but five of the seats available in the election.

Those elected for Reform include Helen Kelly, the wife of a former Conservative leader of the council.

Kelly, whose husband Nick was ousted as leader after a no-confidence vote in 2022, claimed the seat in Compton, which was won by Labour four years ago before councillor Dylan Tippetts switched allegiance to the Lib Dems last year.

During the count, Kelly's husband was spotted wearing a Reform rosette and cheering on his wife.

"Hopefully with the passion of the Reform team now in Plymouth we can take some real challenge to Labour as an effective opposition which they haven't had for a few years," Kelly said after her victory.

Group leader Steve Ricketts said the results in Plymouth and across England for the party were the "stuff dreams are made of".

Ricketts added: "There's been big results nationally and it's reflected here in Plymouth - absolutely huge wins.

"We have a mandate to run the city council.

"Unfortunately, because it's in thirds, we can't take control this year, but we're all set to take control of the council next year and we're really looking forward to that."

Labour council leaders Tudor Evans said the party would reflect on the results and try to move forward.

Evans said: "We've got, as we always do after an election, to take what's happened on board and to respond to it as positively as possible - and we will.

"National politics has played an enormous part in tonight's results and Labour locally in Plymouth will bounce back very quickly."

The Green Party's gain came in the Drake seat with 23-year-old Saahi Aroori beating Labour's Chelsea Shelton by 221 votes.

Aroori said her "voice will be heard" on the council and vowed to stand up for people whose views she said were not represented.

Aroori said her age and being "the only brown person in the room" would give her a unique perspective.

"If I see an injustice then mark my words, you will hear my voice," Aroori said.

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