Reform UK wins three seats in Essex by-elections

Reform UK has gained three seats in by-elections that took place across Essex.

The party gained its first seat on Harlow Council and picked up two seats on Thurrock Council.

Nigel Farage's party has been celebrating victories in local elections across England.

There were six by-elections in total in Essex, with the other three seats being secured by the Liberal Democrats in Chelmsford.

Reform candidate Paul Jago won the seat in the Mark Hall ward in Harlow by polling 81 more votes than the Conservatives.

The by-election took place after the Labour councillor quit.

In the Ockendon ward in Thurrock, Alan Benson and Russel Cherry picked up the seats for Reform - meaning the party now has three seats on the council.

Benson and Cherry secured more than 1,000 votes each - more than double that of their closest rival, Tory Sue Johnson who picked up 533.

A decade ago, Farage's former party UKIP won seats in Ockendon.

Chelmsford's Liberal Democrat MP Marie Goldman vacated her position on Essex County Council and Chelmsford City Council to focus on her job in Westminster.

Her seat on the county council for Chelmsford Central was won by Lib Dem David Loxton by 1,074 votes.

Essex County Council, which comprises of 75 councillors, is controlled by the Tories.

She stepped back from her Moulsham and Central seat on the city council - as did Lib Dem Graham Pooley due to ill health.

Helen Ayres and Seán Manley won those two seats for the party.

They secured more than 1,000 votes each, more than double that of their closest rival, Reform's Darren Brooke who got 572.

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