Reform UK makes local debut while Tories fight off rivals in crunch ballot box test

Susanna Siddell
Tue, 28 Apr 2026 23:01:01 +0000
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Reform UK is gearing up to make its debut while Tories fight off rivals in an upcoming ballot box test this Thursday.

Voters in Worcestershire will cast their ballot to vote for a new councillor for the Tenbury ward on Malvern Hills District Council after Conservative Andrew Willmott resigned.

Last time locals headed to the polls was in 2023, when the local Conservative Party took home 37 per cent of the vote on the district council.

Despite the local candidate taking home 42 per cent, the Tories are defending the seat because Tenbury previously was a two-seater ward.

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This time, at the ballot box, individuals will be voting to vote a candidate into one seat. The local candidate will not be standing again.

Meanwhile, the Greens won 20 per cent of the vote, with the party's current candidate vying for a greater share this week.

The MP for the area is Dame Harriett Baldwin, who has served in Parliament for West Worcestershire since 2010, winning a majority of 6,547 almost two years ago.

The Tories' national rival, Reform UK, came fourth at the 2024 General Election, behind the Conservatives, the Liberal Democrats and Labour.

At last year's round of Local Elections, Reform stormed to victory on Worcestershire County Council, booting out the Conservative administration.

Nigel Farage's party pushed the council to go under no overall control, with Reform UK becoming the authority's largest party.

Their time in the local authority has been widely criticised, particularly for slapping a nine per cent council tax hike on residents - despite campaigning to cut taxes.

The authority ended up requiring almost £60million in emergency Government support to dodge effective bankruptcy.

Mr Farage said he wished his party "hadn't bothered" with taking minority control of a "virtually bankrupt council".

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THE FULL LIST OF CANDIDATES STANDING IN TENBURY FOR MALVERN DISTRICT COUNCIL:

Carl Fordington - Conservative and Unionist Party

Duane Anthony Hubbard - Reform UK

Sam Lewis - Green Party

Jed Marson - Liberal Democrats

Making his bid to voters, the district council hopeful declared that he "fell in love" with Tenbury, with a "lifelong affinity" for the area.

Mr Hubbard said: "Having worked in Law Enforcement, our aim was to settle here and join the rural life where we live.

"Immediately we became part of a fabulous community, enjoying the wonderful countryside, agriculture and farming, soon starting our own small holding rearing livestock, becoming involved and supporting groups like the Tenbury Wells Young Farmers Club."

Meanwhile, Conservative Mr Fordington has pledged to look out for locals, business as well as the environment of the Worcestershire villages.

Last May, he came runner-up to Reform candidate Justin Bowen for a county council seat, losing out by 126 votes.

He has pitched himself as the "only candidate who can beat Reform" - and vowed to freeze council tax.

Meanwhile, Mr Lewis, of the Green Party, has said it is "important in the current environment to stand up for compassion, especially for those struggling to get by".

"We could do so much more to help with cost of living, finding affordable homes and protecting public services, and I will fight for all of those things in Tenbury Wells and beyond," he added.

Meanwhile, Liberal Democrat's candidate, Mr Marson, blasted the "neglect" left over from the Tories.

"Why vote for them again when I'm here willing to do the hard lifting needed?" the candidate asked.

He added that Tenbury locals are "paying way over the odds for fuel and fertiliser because of Trump's lack of self control".