Wakefield Council is now in Reform UK control after destroying Labour
Reform UK is now in control of Wakefield Council after destroying the opposition in local elections.
The council has been under Labour control since it was formed in 1974.
Reform won 58 seats today in a resounding victory that saw many Labour experienced campaigners lost their seats along with Wakefield Council leader Denise Jeffery.
Labour held the Wakefield East ward with Yubi Ayub holding on to his seat.
And the Green Party's Kate Dodd won a seat in the Wakefield North Ward.
Long serving Conservative councillor Nadeem Ahmed held on to his seat in the Wakefield West ward.
The Lib Dems' Adele Hayes and Rachel Speak held their seats in the Knottingley and Ferrybridge ward.
John Thomas, Reform Branch chairman for Pontefract, Castleford and Normanton, and newly elected councillor for Alftofts and Whitwood said: "It's gone far better than we could have hoped for.
He said: "They have been out from morning until night knocking on doors and talking to people, trying to understand what the issues are and how people are feeling."
Earlier Denise Jeffery balmed the Prime Minister for the 'devastating' day at the polls in Wakefield.
She said: "I feel that, through no fault of our own, we have lost Wakefield Council.
“I do feel the blame lies with the government, in particular the Prime Minister.
“It's not a toxic Labour brand, I think it's a toxic Starmer brand.”
The overall turnout was 36.6 per cent. The turnout in the last local election in 2024 was 24.94 per cent.
Following today’s results, the new political make-up of the Council is as follows:
Reform UK 58 seats
Liberal Democrats 2 seats
Green 1 seat
Labour 1 seat
Conservative 1 seat
The Annual General Meeting for the council will take place on May 20 where the council will elect its Leader. The Leader will then select their Cabinet.