Conservative bid to seize Wiltshire Council is thwarted after Lib Dems hold Salisbury seat in crunch by-election

From the Newshound archive · first published 17 October 2026.

Mac Brown took the Salisbury Milford seat with 759 votes, beating Conservative Laura Jones, with Reform UK third and Labour fourth. The Lib Dems run a minority administration with 42 seats to the Conservatives' 38, Reform's 10 and seven Independents. Council leader Ian Thorn credited Labour and Green voters who 'lent their votes'. He said they did it to stop 'the Conservatives and their Reform allies'.

Lib Dem Alan Bayliss vacated the seat after resigning for personal reasons.

Lawrence Gillies also won the Milford seat on Salisbury City Council for the Lib Dems.

Thorn called it the most important by-election he remembers from 40 years of campaigning.