Reform UK Seizes 19 Seats, Ousts Isle of Wight Council Leader

Reform UK transformed the Isle of Wight Council in the 2026 local elections, surging from a single councillor to 19 seats and becoming the largest voting bloc at County Hall. The party unseated council leader Phil Jordan, an Independent, in Ryde North West, where Reform UK councillor Reuben Loake defeated him. Jordan placed third with 255 votes. The results left the council under no overall control, with Independents holding 11 seats, Liberal Democrats four, and the Green Party and Conservatives each winning two. Labour retained a single seat. A new council leader will be selected at the Full Council meeting later in May.

Reform UK councillors immediately outlined priorities focused on fiscal discipline and local infrastructure. Loake pledged to examine council finances, save money, and cut waste. Bill Nigh, who retained his Lake North seat with 421 votes, said the party plans to establish a committee or sub-committee to scrutinize Island Roads, a persistent local concern. Campaign issues across parties included the cost of living, Island Roads, ferries, jobs, and local infrastructure. Nigh characterized the result as a signal that the old order has gone, with forward-looking Islanders now weighing national alongside local issues.