Blackpool
Seaside town on Lancashire's Irish SEA coast, run by its own unitary council.
On 1 October 2026, Labour held Blackpool Council's Claremont ward at a by-election with 41.8% of the vote, against Reform UK's 38.2% and Restore Britain's 7.2%.
Last refreshed: 7 October 2026 · Appears in 2 active topics
Will Blackpool lose its own council under the Lancashire merger plan?
Timeline for Blackpool
Held the Claremont by-election
UK Local Elections 2026: Labour takes Hirst and Amble from ReformMentioned in: FCA takes five scale-ups on its own
UK Startups and InnovationBackground
Blackpool is a seaside town on the Irish SEA coast of Lancashire's Fylde peninsula, with about 141,000 people at the 2021 census. Blackpool Council has been a unitary authority, Independent of Lancashire County Council, since 1998. The town is split between two Westminster seats, Blackpool North and Fleetwood, and Blackpool South.
The government's July 2026 reorganisation decision would put Blackpool into a model of four unitary councils covering Lancashire, Blackpool and Blackburn with Darwen; ministers paused it for review on 7 September.
In August 2026 the town was one of three, with Wigan and Blackburn, to host a TechFirst apprenticeship pilot training up to 70 young people in artificial intelligence skills. On 1 October Labour held the Claremont ward at a by-election with 41.8%, ahead of Reform UK on 38.2% and Restore Britain on 7.2%.
Reference
Is Blackpool part of Lancashire County Council?
Who won the Claremont by-election in Blackpool?
What would local government reorganisation mean for Blackpool?
