English by-elections see Liberal Democrat surge in Newcastle

Five principal authority by-elections took place across England on Thursday, August 27. The results showed significant shifts among several political parties.

In Newcastle, the Liberal Democrats saw a major surge in the Throckley, Walbottle and Newburn ward. Candidate Stephen Kelly moved the party from fifth place to second, increasing their vote share by 24.3 percentage points. Despite this jump, Reform UK held the seat with 39.0% of the vote, while Labour fell to third place.

Other notable results included Reform UK gaining a seat from Labour in Sheffield, while Labour regained a seat from Reform UK in St Helens. In Dover, the Green Party unseated the Conservatives. The results suggest a period of volatility for both Labour and Reform UK, as the parties traded gains and losses across different locations.