Reform Party Surges in UK Local Elections, Secures Over 1,400 English Council Seats as Labour Faces Setbacks in Wales and Birmingham

In a significant local election result in Norfolk, a party associated with Rupert Lowe’s Restore Britain has secured nine council seats, with Reform emerging as the dominant party overall.

Nigel Farage’s political group achieved a notable victory in the eastern region of England on Friday, capturing 38 seats on the Norfolk County Council, which increased their total to 40 seats.

Despite this impressive gain, the party did not reach the 43-seat threshold required to hold a majority.

As per Thursday’s election outcomes, the Liberal Democrats have secured 13 seats, the Green Party holds 12, and Lowe’s Great Yarmouth First has claimed nine seats.

The Restore Britain initiative was launched by Great Yarmouth MP Rupert Lowe following his contentious departure from Reform UK.

It acts as an umbrella political party, with locally based political parties such as Great Yarmouth First as its partners.

In a post on X, Mr Lowe wrote: ‘History made. We won ten out of ten seats, with overwhelming majorities in every single one.

‘Great Yarmouth First, then we Restore Britain.

‘A very special day.’

Labour lost seven seats on the council, retaining one seat in Hethersett.

Meanwhile the Conservatives lost 44 seats and retained eight.

Independent Alexandra Kemp held on to her Clenchwarton and Kings Lynn South seat by just 12 votes.