Tories hold off Reform UK to win by-election
BBCThe Conservatives have held on to a seat on a tightly-balanced Leicestershire council.
Tory candidate Craig Smith got 55% of the vote in the Long Whatton and Diseworth by-election to be elected to North West Leicestershire District Council.
Smith will become part of a 19-strong alliance of Tory, Liberal Democrat and independent councillors who run the authority.
Reform UK, standing a candidate for the first time in the ward, came second with Labour finishing in third place in Thursday's vote
Smith said he felt "absolutely ecstatic" after his win and thanked residents who had supported him.
Smith, who already represents Coalville North on Leicestershire County Council, told the BBC: "We kept the campaign very, very positive.
"We made sure that our messages were all local and about things that district council can actually do.
"I think that was important to residents and the result shows that they thought I was right.
"The turnout was 50.78% - that's unheard of in a by-election."
The seat had been vacant since July, when Conservative councillor Nick Rushton died after being diagnosed with cancer.
"This was not an election that any of us wanted," Smith said.
"This campaign showed Nick's standing in the community.
"Every door we knocked on knew who Nick was and the driving force for the campaign was to make sure that we won it for him."
Smith got 576 votes and Pugsley, who is Leicestershire County Council's cabinet member for children and family services, got 204.
Labour's Damilola Ojuri got 147 votes.
Restore Britain's Simon Tunnicliffe came fourth, beating both the Green and Liberal Democrat candidates.
The district council has been under no overall political control since the last election in May 2023.
Labour is currently the largest party on the authority, holding 17 of the 38 available seats.
There are two non-aligned independent councillors.
Full result
- Craig Smith, Conservative Party - 576
- Charles Pugsley, Reform UK - 204
- Damilola Ojuri, Labour Party - 147
- Simon Tunnicliffe, Restore Britain - 55
- Drew Timms, Green Party - 34
- Ian Bradley, Liberal Democrats - 22
The turnout in the election was 50.78%
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