In Barnsley, some voters may return to the Labour Party following Reform UK's success
In Barnsley, England—where the Reform UK party won a decisive victory in the local elections in May—the first signs are emerging of a possible return of some voters to the Labour Party. The by-election in the Penistone East district, which will take place following the resignation of a Reform UK council member, could prove to be a test for Labour, according to The Guardian.
In the May elections, Reform UK won 42 seats on the Barnsley Council, while Labour—which had led the council since its creation in 1974—was left with 11 seats. James Higginson, the Labour opposition leader on the council, said he had expected a tough election but had not anticipated a Reform UK victory on this scale.
In Penistone East in May, Labour won two seats and Reform UK won one. A Labour representative told the publication that the party is confident of victory in the by-election. According to Higginson, activists have already spoken with more than a thousand voters and intend to double that number by election day.
Some residents who supported Reform UK in May attributed their choice to dissatisfaction with Keir Starmer’s government or concerns about immigration. Meanwhile, 71-year-old Richard Riding, who usually votes for Labour but chose Reform UK in May, said he would support Labour next time. He spoke highly of the work of the new Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, during his tenure as mayor of Greater Manchester.
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Andy Burnham took the helm of the Labour Party and succeeded Keir Starmer as prime minister following Starmer’s resignation. According to a YouGov poll released on Monday, Labour has taken the lead for the first time since March 2025: the party had 24% support compared to 22% for Reform UK.
Under Labor leadership, the Barnsley Council introduced several local programs, including bringing hospital services to the city center, free bus rides for people under 18, and free school uniforms. Reform UK has already scaled back the school uniform program, which, according to the publication, saved families about 2.5 million pounds over the course of a year.
Marie Tidball, the Labour Member of Parliament for Penistone and Stocksbridge, stated that during the campaign she noticed a shift in voters’ attitudes compared to May. Dan Jarvis, the MP for Barnsley North, noted that following its election victory, Reform UK will be judged not only by its promises but also by its actions in the council.
