The Newshound

Conservatives seize former Green seat in Charnwood as Reform is beaten into second place

From the Newshound archive · first published 19 September 2026.

Reform UK finished behind the Conservatives in the Wreake Valley by-election, failing to take the former Green seat on Charnwood Borough Council.
Reform UK finished behind the Conservatives in the Wreake Valley by-election, failing to take the former Green seat on Charnwood Borough Council.
The Conservatives took the Wreake Valley seat on Charnwood Borough Council from the Greens, as speculation grows over a snap general election.
The Conservatives took the Wreake Valley seat on Charnwood Borough Council from the Greens, as speculation grows over a snap general election.

James Poland won 1,091 votes for the Conservatives in Thursday's Wreake Valley ward by-election at Charnwood Borough Council, pushing Reform UK's Michael Slade into second place by more than 300 votes. Poland had campaigned on local issues — particularly fierce opposition to plans to expand Leicester's boundaries — while Reform ran what Poland called a purely national campaign. The result leaves no party with overall control of Charnwood, with Labour running the council on 20 seats via a deal with the Greens.

The Green Party had held the seat before the by-election; its candidate Hamzah Sheikh finished third with just 372 votes.

Poland said the Leicester boundary expansion is a 'massive white hot issue' — villagers 'don't see themselves as a suburb of Leicester because they're not.'

Reform's Michael Slade insisted the party will succeed when the next full round of borough council elections comes in May.

MoreBBC News - EnglandTories beat Reform in Charnwood Borough Council by-election winWest Bridgford WireTories beat Reform for former Green seat in Charnwood - West Bridgford WireLeicester MercuryConservatives beat Reform to Leicestershire council seat after Green Party leader stands down - Leicester MercuryGB NewsGreens plunge below Tories and Reform in crushing by-election defeat as Labour struggles to make gains
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