Local elections 2026: Nigel Farage leads Reform troops in Battle for Essex as Tories defend 'last stronghold'
Nigel Farage is leading Reform UK's campaign in Essex, branding it the Conservatives' 'last stronghold', as local elections approach on May 7. The Conservatives are defending their majority in Essex County Council, where they currently hold 49 out of 75 seats.
Nigel Farage is leading Reform UK's campaign in Essex ahead of the May 7 local elections. He claims Essex is the Conservatives' 'last stronghold' and that the party will be reduced to irrelevancy in Wales and Scotland. Several high-profile Conservatives have Essex constituencies, including Tory Leader Kemi Badenoch and shadow foreign secretary Dame Priti Patel. The Conservatives currently hold 49 out of 75 seats in Essex County Council. Reform faces a significant challenge to seize control, but has been boosted by defections from Conservatives, including former Cabinet minister Robert Jenrick. Sir James Cleverly, a former Home Secretary, has hit back at Farage's claims, saying the Conservatives have a serious plan to get Britain working again.
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