Nottinghamshire Conservatives including Newark MP Robert Jenrick and Nottinghamshire County Council group leader Sam Smith claim celebrate following Keith Girling’s Newark West by-election victory

Following a by-election which came down to the wire, the Conservatives are celebrating reclaiming a seat from Reform.

The Nottinghamshire County Council by-election for the Newark West division has been won by Keith Girling.

It was a seat he had held for eight years prior to the May 1 local elections, as Reform UK swept up and became the overall majority party at County Hall.

But in a matter of days, a by-election was triggered following the surprise resignation of Reform’s David Clarke.

Seeing an opportunity, the Conservatives immediately re-selected Keith Girling as their candidate, running on a campaign of “experience and delivery”.

When polls finally opened on Thursday (July 3), and ballot boxes began arriving at Castle House, Newark, to be counted there was a flurry of activity.

Observers from each of the political parties paid close attention in an attempt to see how their candidates were doing and it quickly became apparent that it was going to be a two horse race between the Conservatives and Reform UK.

There was late drama as the provisional results of the count revealed a difference of just eight votes, forcing a recount.

Then, as the clock stuck midnight the final results were confirmed and Keith Girling was declared the victor by returning officer John Robinson.

Speaking to the Advertiser, Mr Girling said: “I’m proud to have been elected to this position and I’m looking forward to getting back into the county council.

“We really worked hard and we’ve had some fantastic support from all over the country.

“And a big thank you to everyone that voted for me, I won’t let you down. I’ll carry on doing what I do, working on your behalf and I’ll be a strong voice for Newark West.”

He added: “Obviously it was very close, the closest I’ve ever had, but even if I’d won by only one vote I’d have been happy.

“Now, I’ll we working with the rest of the team, making sure we are holding Reform to account, and I have enough experience to be able to do that.

“At the end of the day, their decisions have an impact on the lives of everybody in Nottinghamshire.

“We’re not in control, we’re in opposition, and that means scrutinising those in power.

“But that’s why I’m a Conservative, we always take the role seriously. That is our job now and this is just the start.”

In the weeks and days leading up to the by-election, supporters from across the county and the country were drafted in to help boost Mr Girling’s campaign, including a late visit from Conservative Party Leader Kemi Badenoch to Newark on the day of the vote.

Newark MP Robert Jenrick was also a regular campaigner on doorsteps, and was among the first to congratulate Keith Girling on his victory.

“I’m very pleased for Keith, who I have known for a long time, that he has been returned to the council,” said Mr Jenrick.

“He’s a very active member of the community, who has been involved in so many different causes.

“The town needs good councillors like him, and I know that Keith will use the experience and energy he has to continue serving the community.”

The Conservatives are the largest opposition group on the Refrom-led Nottinghamshire County Council, with the by-election victory bringing their count to 18 councillors.

Reform UK are still the majority party, holding 41 of the 66 divisions.

The Tories now hold all of the county council seats in the Newark area, something the Conservative Group’s leader and representative for Newark East, Sam Smith, said was a moment of pride.

“I’m absolutely delighted,” he said “This is the first gain for the Conservatives anywhere in the country and I’m really proud of that.

“We lost Keith to Reform in the May election on the basis that people wanted to stop the boats — but you cannot stop that from County Hall.

“Now the resident have re-elected him because they know he can deliver on local priorities and that is what he will do.”

He added: “Keith was a fantastic speaker in the chamber, he works really hard for his residents and he will be in those council meeting in a matter of days, batting for the residents of Newark West and the whole of Nottinghamshire.”

Other Tory figures took to social media to offer their congratulations including Balderton county councillor, Johno Lee, who said the victory had turned Newark into “a true fortress” for the party.

Mr Girling and the Local Conservatives have also received personal congratulations from across the UK, with the national party’s senior leadership team looking to replicate the Newark success in other areas of the country.