Reform UK's Tom Seston secured a commanding victory in yesterday's Eastfield by-election, capturing 62.7 per cent of the vote and dealing a significant blow to Labour.
The newly elected councillor won 538 votes, whilst Labour's Hazel Anne Smith managed just 121 votes in what was expected to be a competitive contest.
Speaking to GB News, Seston attributed his success to running a positive campaign that focused on local concerns, particularly housing issues and failed regeneration schemes in the area.
Tom Seston told GB News: "I ran this election on a positive campaign. I focused on local issues, particularly housing, and highlighted some of the failed regeneration schemes in the area. I made an effort to get out and speak to as many people as possible.
Seston attributed his success to running a positive campaign that focused on local concerns
GB NEWS
"In contrast the Labour Party, who assumed they would easily retake this seat, ran a very negative campaign. They didn’t have much to say, and their candidate was reportedly quite combative on the doorstep.
"It didn’t do them any favours, and nationally, they’re not helping themselves either. On May 2, Scarborough saw 11 out of 15 council seats go to Reform.
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"Clearly, something is happening here. As we discussed earlier, a major issue is housing specifically, ensuring local housing for local people.
"Scarborough, like Blackpool and many other seaside towns, has become a dumping ground for social problems: asylum seekers, individuals with drug problems, and ex-prisoners. This is causing real concern in the community.
"Scarborough has many old Victorian townhouses, which were converted into B&Bs or small hotels in the 60s and 70s. As domestic tourism declined, these buildings were turned into HMOs or low-end flats.
"Now, companies are buying them up and contracting with the Home Office and probation services. We’re also seeing people housed here from other parts of North Yorkshire. It’s tough for local people who need social housing and just want a fair chance.
Seston won by a landslide
GB NEWS
"This is a pattern we’re seeing across the UK’s coastal towns. Locals feel ignored. They want to be heard, housed, and treated fairly."
Seston added that Labour's campaign style "didn't do them any favours, and nationally, they're not helping themselves either."
The by-election, triggered by the resignation of former councillor Tony Randerson, saw a turnout of 16.64 per cent, with 862 votes cast from an electorate of 5,181.
Seston used Eastfield's neglected town centre as a symbol of how coastal communities have been abandoned by authorities.
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"The phrase 'left behind' gets used a lot, but in places like Eastfield, it's reality," he told GB News.
He described Eastfield as a council housing estate just outside Scarborough, officially classified as a town, where the town centre consists of just a shopping precinct.
"It's the clearest example of neglect. On the precinct, there are two large brick planters that should be filled with flowers. Instead, the council has abandoned them. They're overgrown with nettles and weeds, and one has a large section of bricks missing," Seston explained.
He concluded: "That sums up what 'left behind' really means."
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