Starmer says by-election loss 'very disappointing' - but vows to fight on
The prime minister has pledged to "fight against the extremes in politics on the right and the left" following the election of Green Party's Hannah Spencer.
news.sky.comThe latest reporting I can find says the Green Party won a Thanet by-election in Cliftonville (Kent County Council seat) after the seat was vacated following issues involving the previous Reform councillor.[3]
What the reports say happened
- Green candidate: Rob Yates won with about 39% of the vote (reported as 2,068 votes / 38.8–39%).[3]
- Main runner-up: Reform UK’s Marc Rattigan came second with about 33% (reported as 1,767 votes / 33.1%).[3]
- Trigger for the by-election: it was called after the sitting councillor was jailed (the report attributes this to coercive behavior/control).[3]
Why it matters (per coverage)
Coverage frames the result as a meaningful shift for UK local politics—especially as parties look ahead to upcoming elections, and as the Greens are portrayed as taking votes away from Reform in that area.[1][3]
If you tell me the exact by-election name (or the seat—e.g., Cliftonville/Thanet District vs Kent County), I can narrow it to the most relevant headline(s) for that specific race.