Reform UK is celebrating its highest percentage of the vote so far in its election history. The subject of the jubilation is a by-election in the ward of Skelton East in the borough of Redcar and Cleveland. Reform UK’s Craig Holmes, a former Sapper in the Royal Engineers, won a council seat vacated by the resignation of Conservative councillor Andy Oliver.
Skelton East is traditionally a safe Tory ward.
According to Teesside Live, Holmes won 65.3% of the vote, beating Labour Norman MacLeod’s 19.2%, with Tory, Julie Craig in third place at 13.9%. The Lib Dem, Stuart Saunders trailed with 1.5% of the vote.
But how great a triumph was this? Turnouts at local by elections are often modest and Skelton East was no exception. Britain Elects estimates that only 37% of the ward’s eligible electorate voted. Holmes achieved all of 839 votes.
But a win is a win, and the result is part of a successful night nationally for Reform UK – mostly at the expense of the Conservative Party.
Craig Holmes
The Skelton East electorate was voting not only for a national Reform brand on the rising tide of its fortunes.
They were also choosing a familiar local face. Holmes was a Tory Councillor for neighbouring Skelton West but lost his seat in 2023.
In his final year in office he attended four out of his scheduled 26 meetings
Holmes’ election agent was Andrea Turner, also formerly a Tory councillor, and leader of the Council’s Conservative group until she also lost her seat in 2023, conceding defeat after a third recount.
On the Skelton East result she told North East Bylines:
“Delivering the biggest Reform win in the UK shows that with the right candidate and a professional well executed ground campaign, Reform will deliver winning results where ever they stand. The people are demanding change and Reform are the only people listening.”
Mrs Turner’s husband Steve was Conservative Police and Crime Commissioner until 2023. He lost his position then and also election as councillor at the same time.
Early this year both the Turners defected to Reform UK. Their arrival was not welcomed by everyone in the Redcar branch, including the Chair John Davies. Since then, Steve Turner has taken over chairmanship of the branch, and Davies’ membership has recently expired.
It was thought that a recently shared photograph of Holmes urinating against a wall in broad daylight with his pants down might scupper his chances of election, but not so.
In a reaction to a Facebook post of the photograph, Holmes commented,
“Hahaha fkn weird c***s them lefty’s. There was a bus full of us men and women pissing. It’s where the driver stopped and told us to piss. Fuck em. Daft c***s.”
We look forward to reporting on his oratory in the council chamber. If he turns up.
