In the recent local elections, Reform UK took control of Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council, with a total of 42 seats in the town hall.
In the council’s all-out elections, Reform gained enough to take control of the council’s decision-making.
Councillor William Brown has been selected by the group as Leader, and Councillor Edward Dillingham as Deputy Leader.
Election polls had ambitiously predicted 37 seats for Reform, but very few could have predicted the sheer dominance of Reform.
The reality was even worse for the Labour Party, which lost 35 seats.
Both parties have admitted qualms with the central Labour Party, and specifically, Kier Starmer, which have overshadowed local politics.
Calls for Starmer to resign are getting significantly stronger as over a thousand councillors have lost their jobs, seemingly due to his leadership.
Nigel Farage, leader of Reform, said: “What’s happened is a truly historic shift in British politics.”
The current leader of Barnsley Council, Sir Stephen Houghton (Labour), held his seat by just 23 votes, but this Reform win has ended his 30-year tenure as council leader.
He, said: “I will pick up the pieces and represent my residents the best way I can.”
The make-up of the town hall has now completely changed. Reform UK have 42 seats, and Labour now form the official opposition with 11, Lib Dems with 8 and two independents.
Barnsley no longer has any Conservative councillors after Robert Barnard lost his seat.
This all-out election marks the first time the council has had all its seats up for vote in over 20 years.