Nigel Farage’s Reform UK Party has managed to pick up just seven seats from 184 council by-elections since the general election in July.
Five principal authority council by-elections took place this week, with Reform UK failing to register a win in any of them once again.
The Lib Dems beat Labour in a Liverpool by-election for the first time since 1997 after taking Much Woolton and Hunts Cross with 51.1 per cent of the vote.
In Edinburgh, where there was a double vacancy, the Conservatives gained, while SNP took Bannockburn in Stirling.
Labour held on in Newcastle-under-Lyme, fending off a resurgent Reform UK Party which fielded a candidate for the first time.
It added to a rather dismal year for Farage’s party on the local front, who will be hoping to turn their fortunes around when May’s local elections take place.
Reform UK is targeting the mayorality of Lincolnshire with former Tory MP Andrea Jenkyns as its candidate.
There are also areas of interest across the south-east and the East Midlands. Essex and Kent will also be targeted, along with Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire.
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