Reform UK won the High Fell by-election in Gateshead on 9 July 2026 by just 5 votes. Lindsay Atkinson won the seat, and the result kept Reform UK in control of Gateshead Council.
Latest result
The by-election was held in High Fell ward on Thursday 9 July 2026. Six candidates stood in the contest, 1,408 ballot papers were issued, and turnout was 21 percent.
Full vote breakdown
| Candidate | Party | Votes |
|---|---|---|
| Lindsay Atkinson | Reform UK | 564 |
| Kathryn Dorothea Walker | Labour Party | 559 |
| Jonathan Aibi | Liberal Democrats | 98 |
| Barry Malcolm Flux | Conservative and Unionist Party | 79 |
| Lee Turner | Green Party | 71 |
| Elaine Brunskill | Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition | 36 |
Reform UK won by a majority of 5 votes.
Key updates
The closest rival was Labour, which finished only 5 votes behind Reform UK. That made the result one of the tightest local contests in the area.
Gateshead Council had already moved under Reform UK control after the May 2026 local elections, when Reform won 38 of the 66 seats on the council.
What the result means
The by-election did not change the overall control of Gateshead Council. It did show that Reform UK still faced a strong challenge from Labour in High Fell, even though Reform remains the ruling party on the council.
