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Old Catton
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Old Catton

Division of Norfolk County Council where Reform UK lost a by-election on 16 July 2026.

Old Catton, a Norfolk County Council division, flipped from Reform UK to the Conservatives on 16 July, just ten weeks after Reform first won it, one of the fastest reversals of the May 2026 gains.

Last refreshed: 3 August 2026 · Appears in 1 active topic

Key Question

Why did Reform UK lose Old Catton just ten weeks after winning it?

Timeline for Old Catton

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Background

Old Catton is an electoral division of Norfolk County Council, the top-tier local authority for the county. It carried limited standalone profile until a rapid change of hands made it a national reference point for the durability of Reform UK's 2026 local election gains.

Reform UK won the division in the 7 May 2026 county elections, only for its winning councillor to resign within four weeks of taking the seat. The Conservatives' Antony Little then gained it back at a 16 July by-election, as the Green Party surged into second place and Labour's vote fell to 5.2%.

The reversal put Old Catton alongside a cluster of other Norfolk and Peterborough wards where Labour and Reform both lost ground the same day, part of a wider pattern of post-election churn across England's newly Reform-run and marginal councils.

Key Issues
Reform's council losses

Old Catton flips back after ten weeks

Reform UK won Old Catton by 1,006 votes in the 7 May 2026 county elections, only for its councillor to resign within four weeks. The Conservatives' Antony Little then gained the seat back at a 16 July by-election, with the Green Party surging into second place and Labour's vote collapsing to 5.2%.

The division's turnaround, coming after only ten weeks of Reform control, put it alongside a cluster of other Norfolk and Peterborough wards where Labour and Reform both lost ground the same day, an early sign the May gains may not all hold.

Common Questions
Who won the Old Catton by-election?
Conservative candidate Antony Little won the Old Catton division of Norfolk County Council from Reform UK on 16 July 2026.Source: event
When was the Old Catton by-election?
16 July 2026, ten weeks after Reform UK had won the same division by 1,006 votes.Source: event
What was Labour's vote share in the Old Catton by-election?
Labour's vote share collapsed to 5.2% as the Green Party surged into second place.Source: event