While much of England saw Reform UK make dramatic gains at local elections, Huntingdonshire told a more complicated story. The Liberal Democrats emerged as the biggest winners, doubling their number of councillors and overtaking the Conservatives as the largest party on the district council. The results also showed clear political differences across the district, with the LibDems performing strongly in the area around Huntingdon and other commuter areas while the Conservatives retained support in other parts of the district.
The results of the District Council elections in Huntingdonshire mean that the council remains under ‘No Overall Control’, with the Conservatives no longer the largest party on the council. That position has now been claimed by the LibDems. In 2022 the LibDems had only ten seats, less than half the number of the Conservatives. Now they have 20 while the Conservatives’ tally of 15 is the lowest number they have had since the creation of the District Council.
Reform gains but Labour survives
Reform gained ten seats in this election and in the process, they took all three seats in the Huntingdon North ward, which had been held by Labour’s only councillors in the district. However, Labour was spared the ignominy of a wipe-out by their candidate, Alex Bulat. In the two-member St Ives South ward, she topped the poll with the other seat in the ward going to the LibDems.
The election also saw a significant fall in the number of independent councillors. In 2022, 11 independents – of various descriptions – were elected, when they outnumbered the LibDems. However, that number was reduced to four in this election, due in part to some independents switching to the LibDems before the election.
The Greens consolidated their position in the St Neots East ward, and the town now has at least one representative from the Greens, LibDems, Conservatives, Reform and independents.
A changing political landscape
The results also reveal a clear geographical divide across Huntingdonshire. The Liberal Democrats performed particularly strongly in and around Huntingdon itself, where they won ten council seats, while Labour and Green support was concentrated in a few wards elsewhere in the district.
By contrast, most of the wards won outright by the Conservatives were in the Huntingdon parliamentary constituency, represented at Westminster by Conservative MP Ben Obese-Jecty. In the parts of the district which fall within the St Neots and Mid Cambridgeshire constituency, represented by Liberal Democrat MP Ian Sollom, the picture was more mixed, although the Conservatives now have only one councillor in that area.
The wider regional picture also remains significant. In neighbouring South Cambridgeshire – which surrounds Cambridge itself – the Liberal Democrats now hold 43 of the council’s 45 seats, with the Conservatives retaining the other two.
Huntingdonshire does not mirror that political landscape, and the district has its own distinct political character, with strong links both to Cambridge and to London commuter routes. But some of the political trends seen in the wider Cambridge region may also now be appearing in parts of Huntingdonshire, particularly in the larger towns and commuter areas.
Questions over the next administration
The practical questions now concern how an administration can be formed in Huntingdonshire and who will lead it. The previous administration was a “Rainbow Coalition” led by the Liberal Democrats, and it is possible that a similar arrangement will continue now the party is in a stronger position than before.
Speaking to East Anglia Bylines, the Liberal Democrat Group Leader, Councillor Sarah Conboy, said: “The Election results speak for themselves. More people are looking for strength and stability. People want the confidence that we will uphold the values they care deeply about, and we have shown over the last four years that we do politics better – with respect, integrity, and transparency. We will be forming a new joint administration to lead Huntingdonshire as we prepare for local government reorganisation.
“The new team bring a wealth of skills and knowledge to complement the returning team and are the right people to ensure Huntingdonshire’s residents will be well represented and communities can rely on help and support when they request it. And I’m delighted we can carry on the excellent work Hunts LibDems have done here for very many years as we lead the Council.”
Huntingdonshire may have avoided the dramatic Reform breakthrough seen elsewhere, but the results still point to an increasingly fragmented political landscape across the district. The challenge now for the Liberal Democrats will be whether they can turn their electoral gains into a stable administration.
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