Labour Newcastle Council leader loses seat to Reform UK

Karen Kilgour failed to win election in the Blakelaw and Cowgate ward, where Reform UK secured victory and took all three available seats.

She has been Labour’s leader on Newcastle City Council since 2024, taking over after the resignation of Nick Kemp, and was the first woman to ascend to the role.

Labour has been in power in Newcastle since 2011, but that is widely expected to change today.

The party lost its majority in the city following a series of defections in 2024 and has since operated a minority administration, going into local election day this week with 34 of the city’s 78 council seats.

At the halfway stage of counting on Friday afternoon at the time of publication, with every seat up for grabs in a hugely significant all out election, Labour had not recorded a single victory in Newcastle.

As expected, the Greens and Reform UK were making significant gains. The Liberal Democrats, who ran the council from 2004 to 2011 and have since been Newcastle’s main opposition party, were also in good spirits as they held onto some of their traditional strongholds.

The result in Blakelaw and Cowgate, which was subject to a recount, was declared shortly before 3pm on Friday and it spelled bad news for the council leader.

Having switched wards from her former West Fenham seat, she was beaten by three Reform UK candidates – Rachel Davison, Gavin Hutchinson, and Irene Turnbull

Elsewhere, there was joy for the Greens in Byker, Heaton, Elswick, and Arthur’s Hill.

Reform UK had secured its first seats in Newcastle with victory in Denton and Westerhope, which was also followed by wins in Benwell, Scotswood, and Denton Burn.

The Lib Dems held off a Green challenge in Jesmond and were thrilled to secure all three seats in Gosforth, removing Conservative Doc Anand in the process.

Mr Anand had become the first Tory elected in Newcastle in more than 30 years when he won in 2024, but was unable to win a second term.

While the day looked set to mark a moment of colossal political upheaval in Newcastle, and around the North East, at least one predictable constant remained.

Independent councillor Marc Donnelly, alongside Margaret Donnelly and Lawrence Hunter, continued his impressive winning streak in the outer west Chapel ward. He secured 2,918 votes.

Going into the second half of counting, it remained unclear whether any party would be able to win a majority of the council’s 78 seats.

If no party claims a majority, there will be talks over possible coalition deals.

There was also a question over whether Labour would be able to pick up even a single seat in Newcastle.