Voters across parts of Staffordshire went to the polls on Thursday in a set of local elections that have delivered one of the biggest political shake-ups the county has seen in recent years.
The most significant result came in Newcastle-under-Lyme, where Reform UK took control of the borough council in a dramatic breakthrough for the party locally. The election saw all 44 seats on the council contested, with Reform winning 27 seats, giving the party an overall majority. The Conservatives won 15 seats, while Labour was reduced to just two councillors.
The result marks the end of Conservative control of Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council, which the party had led since 2017.
The Newcastle result had been closely watched across Staffordshire and nationally, particularly following Reform UK’s strong performance in the 2025 Staffordshire County Council elections, where the party won 49 seats across the county and took control of the county council.
The elections took place against the backdrop of proposed local government reorganisation across Staffordshire. Plans currently being discussed could eventually see existing borough, district and county councils abolished and replaced with larger unitary authorities. The future structure of local government in Staffordshire remains undecided, but the debate has become a major political issue across the county.
In Newcastle-under-Lyme, turnout and political engagement appeared higher than in many previous local elections, reflecting wider national trends seen across England. Across the country, Labour and the Conservatives both faced losses, while Reform UK, the Green Party and Liberal Democrats made gains in many areas.
Elsewhere in Staffordshire, only limited local elections took place this year. There were no elections in Stoke-on-Trent itself, while some boroughs and districts only had partial elections or parish council contests.
The Newcastle-under-Lyme result is likely to lead to significant political changes at the borough council over the coming weeks as the new administration takes shape. It also adds further momentum to Reform UK’s growing presence across Staffordshire politics following last year’s county council success.
The outcome will now fuel further discussion about the future political direction of Staffordshire, particularly ahead of any future reorganisation of local government structures across the county.
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