Labour has won the Hindley Green council by-election in Wigan, defeating Reform UK by 314 votes in a ward where Reform won the most recent election in May.
Full Hindley Green by-election result
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
| John Vickers | Labour | 1,201 | 49.5% |
| Bonnie Clarke | Reform UK | 887 | 36.6% |
| Mark Prescott | Independent | 124 | 5.1% |
| Rebecca Shepherd | Restore Britain | 107 | 4.4% |
| Daniel Jackson | Conservative | 56 | 2.3% |
| Nat Smith | Green | 42 | 1.7% |
| David Burley | Liberal Democrats | 9 | 0.4% |
There were 2,426 valid votes. Vote shares are calculated from those votes and rounded to one decimal place.
Labour wins by 314 votes
Labour has won the Hindley Green by-election in Wigan, with John Vickers securing 1,201 votes against 887 for Reform UK candidate Bonnie Clarke. The 12 November 2026 contest was held following the death of long-serving independent councillor Bob Brierley. The winning margin was 314 votes.
A different result from May
In May 2026, Reform UK won a different seat in the same ward with 1,878 votes, while Vickers received 1,172. The latest result is therefore a Labour gain from an independent, not a direct gain from Reform UK. Labour’s vote share rose from approximately 32.6% in May to 49.5% in the by-election, while Reform UK’s share fell from approximately 52.2% to 36.6%. Turnout was reported at around 26%, compared with 39.04% in May.
Candidates react
Vickers linked Labour’s improved showing to Andy Burnham’s June victory in the Makerfield parliamentary by-election, and identified improved local healthcare provision, including a pharmacy and health centre, among his priorities. Wigan Reform UK leader Paul Watson argued that the lower turnout mattered and said his party remained confident about the May 2027 elections. These are the candidates’ political interpretations, rather than independently established causes of the result.
What the result means for Wigan Council
The Local Democracy Reporting Service reported that Labour now holds 43 seats on Wigan Council, Reform UK 25 and independents seven. Labour retains overall control of the 75-seat authority. The contest is an encouraging result for Labour after Reform UK won 24 of 25 seats contested in May, but one low-turnout by-election cannot establish a borough-wide or national trend.
Why the by-election took place
The vacancy followed the death of Bob Brierley, an independent who represented Hindley Green for 22 years and was widely known for his community work. The next scheduled Wigan council elections are in May 2027.
Sources: Local Democracy Reporting Service, 13 November 2026; Wigan Council May 2026 results; Wigan Council election notices.