Labour Candidate John Vickers Wins Hindley Green By-Election

Labour candidate John Vickers won a council by-election in the Hindley Green ward of Makerfield, Wigan, on November 12, 2026. Vickers secured 1,201 votes to defeat Reform UK candidate Bonnie Clarke, who finished second with 887 votes, resulting in a Labour majority of 314. The election was triggered by the death of Bob Brierley, an independent councillor who had represented the area for 22 years.

The victory marks a reversal for Vickers, who had been defeated by Reform UK's Liam Clarke in the same ward during the May local elections. That May contest saw a period of significant losses for Labour in Wigan, where the party lost 25 consecutive seats, including 24 of 25 contested seats in the region.

Analysts attribute the win to a "Burnham bounce," referring to the increased popularity of Prime Minister Andy Burnham, who became Labour leader in July after winning a parliamentary by-election in the same area. While Reform UK officials acknowledged Labour's current momentum, they noted that voter turnout for the Makerfield by-election was only 26 percent and maintained their goal to take control of Wigan council in May 2027. In a separate Greater Manchester by-election in Oldham, Reform UK won the Failworth West seat with 41.5 percent of the vote, though Labour saw its vote share double in that area.