A minor political earthquake shook Kent this morning after the Green Party defied expectations to snatch victory at a crunch by-election.
The Greens’ decisive win in the Cliftonville division of Kent County Council (KCC) came after an intense two month campaign into which four of the main parties threw huge resources.
Cllr Rob Yates (right) celebrating victory with his agent, Mike Garner at the Cliftonville by-election count
For Reform UK, it was the first by-election to be fought since their massive victory at KCC last year and was regarded as a “must win”.
After the result was announced, victor Rob Yates declared: “This result shows that across Kent and across the country the Greens are the antidote to Reform.
“Twelve years ago, Nigel Farage was parading down Cliftonville High Street, and now we have turned it green.
“There is a huge appetite here to live with a politics of hope, empathy, and local action, rather than a politics of division.
“And I believe this represents what the British public want across the country.
The result of the Cliftonville by-election
“I would like to thank every single voter, whether they voted Conservatives or Reform, Independent, Lib Dem or Labour.
“I plan to continue being a community politician who represents everyone. And regardless of who you voted for, I will serve you. This is just the beginning.”
Cllr Yates will be joined by Green Party leader Zack Polanksi for a victory rally in Walpole Bay at 7pm.
Mr Polanski had made a headline-grabbing visit to Margate on the eve of polling day, describing the race as being on a “knife-edge” and framed it as a direct battle between the Greens and Reform UK.
Other parties had also deployed senior figures. Labour’s campaign for Joanne Bright was launched with support from Dame Emily Thornberry, while Reform UK candidate Marc Rattigan was backed by Robert Jenrick. Conservative hopeful Charlie Leys received support from former Thanet MP Craig Mackinlay.
But the Greens ran out winners, with the result bringing to six the number of councillors the party now has at County Hall.
Cllr Rob Yates and his Green Party leader on Margate seafront earlier this week
Losing Reform UK candidate Marc Rattigan, who polled 1,767 votes, congratulated Cllr Yates, adding: “Obviously it is a disappointing result but democracy is democracy and we live to fight another day.
“If the people of Cliftonville voted for open borders, then that’s what they voted for.”
The Conservatives, who came third with 811 votes, said it was a referendum on Reform’s leadership at County Hall.
Candidate Charlie Leys said after the result was declared: “This was a Referendum on Reform UK’s leadership of Kent County Council and they have lost.
“They won this division two to one last year and the voters of Cliftonville have turned to whichever party was best placed to defeat them.”
KCC leader Linden Kemkaran and her chief whip Maxwell Harrison left the count at St George’s School, Broadstairs, without commenting.
Green Party candidate Rob Yates looked relaxed at the count ahead of his victory being announced
The election was seen as a test of Reform UK’s popularity after almost a year running KCC following its landslide win in May 2025.
The 37.7% turnout was higher than last year by more than 4% and local observers say the result may have hinged on a tactical “anyone but Reform UK” element to voting patterns.
For Labour, whose candidate Joanne Bright believed she was in with a shot of winning, it was a bruising fourth place, reflecting Sir Keir Starmer’s polling woes. She secured just 557 votes.
As the boxes were opened at 9.30am, it became clear that it was likely to be a straight Reform UK v Green Party fight.
Cllr Kemkaran spent much of the morning sitting by herself on her phone while the Green activists milled excitedly around.
Later she said: “Naturally I am disappointed but probably not as disappointed as Labour and the Tories must be feeling. Marc Rattigan’s campaign was positive, focused and clean from start to finish.”
The KCC by-election count for the Cliftonville division took place today
She added that voting Conservative is a vote for the Greens.
At 10am, Green candidate Cllr Yates, who had invested a huge amount of time and emotional energy into the two-month campaign, was so nervous he left the hall to be alone at times.
By 10.30am, tellers’ sheets began to show heavy support for the Greens, with Reform in second spot.
An hour later, the parties’ individual wire baskets holding the ballot papers made it obvious the result could be close.
But Reform activists looked on in grim resignation as the inevitable became clear.
As defeat loomed, Cllr Kemkaran and her chief whip Cllr Harrison sat in deep conversation at the side of the hall.
Daniel Taylor previously held the seat for Reform UK until he was jailed for controlling and coercive behaviour against his wife
Their party had polled 40% of the vote in 2025, when the Greens trailed in fourth with just 12%. This time round the Greens secured a 39% vote share, ahead of Reform with 33%.
The by-election was sparked after Daniel Taylor, who was returned as the Reform UK member for Cliftonville last May, was jailed for 12 months for controlling behaviour towards his wife.
He was suspended after his arrest last summer and expelled from Reform when he pleaded guilty to the offence in January.
Taylor was one of 57 Reform UK councillors (of 81) elected to serve at County Hall in a landslide victory.
But since then, the party has expelled seven councillors and suffered two defections.