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Greens snatch Dover seat by 34 votes as Restore Britain splits right-wing vote and ROBS Reform

Rupert Lowe and Nigel Farage's Restore Britain party took 10.7 per cent in the Dover by-election, enough to split the right-of-centre vote and hand the ward to the Greens.
Rupert Lowe and Nigel Farage's Restore Britain party took 10.7 per cent in the Dover by-election, enough to split the right-of-centre vote and hand the ward to the Greens.

Retired GP Ingrid Dodd won the Guston, Kingsdown and St Margaret's-at-Cliffe seat on Dover District Council for the Greens, beating Reform's James Defriend by just 34 votes on Thursday night. Had just 12% of Restore's voters backed Reform instead, Defriend would have won.

A Reform source declared: 'Vote Restore, get Green — the only thing Lowe is restoring is the uniparty.'

Rupert Lowe hailed it as Restore's 'best ever election result outside of Great Yarmouth' and vowed to stand in more elections.

Lord Hannan warned right-of-centre vote splitting could hand Labour another general election victory on a low turnout, as it did in 2024.

MoreThe TelegraphRestore voters ‘hand Greens by-election victory’ - The TelegraphKent OnlineGreen Party’s Ingrid Dodd triumphs in Dover District Council by-election as right-wing vote splits three ways - Kent OnlineThe London EconomicBy-election billed as ‘Reform vs Restore’ ends in Green Party victory - The London Economic
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