Daily Express, on UK Politics, 30 October 2026

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Humiliation for Andy Burnham as Labour vote nosedives 34% in election hammering by Reform The result will be an unwelcome development for Mr Burnham, who succeeded Sir Keir Starmer as Prime Minister in July and has been seeking to rebuild Labour's political fortunes. Share Article Share Article Facebook X LinkedIn Reddit Bluesky Email Copy Link Link copied Add us as preferred source Comments By Ciaran McGrath , Senior News Reporter 06:40, Fri, Oct 30, 2026 Updated: 06:43, Fri, Oct 30, 2026 Prime Minister Andy Burnham (Image: Getty) Labour has suffered another bruising election defeat after Reform UK seized a council seat in a former stronghold, handing Prime Minister Andy Burnham an embarrassing setback.

Reform overturned Labour's hold on Worksop East in Bassetlaw, Nottinghamshire, with candidate Nancy Wright taking 600 votes to secure victory. Labour's Cameron Holt was pushed into second place with 485 votes, giving Reform a majority of 115. The result represents a major reversal for Labour, which comfortably won all three seats in the ward at the previous district council elections in May 2023. According to figures published by Election Maps UK, Labour's share of the vote was down 34.4 percentage points compared with the previous election in 2023.

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We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. You can unsubscribe at any time. More Info . The by-election was forced by the resignation of Jo White MP, currently as Home Office minister (Image: PA) However, the comparison comes with an important caveat. Worksop East was a three-seat ward in 2023, meaning voters could cast up to three votes, whereas Thursday's contest was a single-seat by-election.

The figures therefore do not represent a straightforward like-for-like comparison of Labour's support. Nevertheless, Reform secured 45.9% of the vote, against Labour's 37.1%, giving the party a clear victory in the contest. Restore Britain's Anne Froggatt finished third with 7%, while Conservative candidate Ben Storey managed just 6.8%. Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT The Green Party's Anne Kean came fifth with 3.2%. Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT The result will be an unwelcome development for Mr Burnham, who succeeded Sir Keir Starmer as Prime Minister in July and has been seeking to rebuild Labour's political fortunes.

Worksop East (Bassetlaw) Council By-Election Result:➡️ RFM: 45.9% (New)🌹 LAB: 37.1% (-34.4)◼️ RES: 7.0% (New)🌳 CON: 6.8% (-21.7)🌍 GRN: 3.2% (New)Reform UK GAIN from Labour.Changes w/ 2023. — electionmapsuk (@electionmapsuk) October 29, 2026 Reform's victory demonstrates the party's continuing ability to make significant inroads into areas which have traditionally returned Labour councillors. The scale of the turnaround is particularly striking given Labour's performance in 2023, when Jo White, Cliff Entwistle and Debbie Merryweather were all elected to represent Worksop East.

Ms White secured 824 votes, Mr Entwistle 805 and Ms Merryweather 770. The by-election was triggered by Ms White's resignation from Bassetlaw District Council after she took advice from senior officials about a potential conflict between her responsibilities as a Home Office minister and her council role. She said at the time: "My ministerial responsibilities can, at times, overlap with the work of local government, creating the risk of potential conflicts of interest between the two roles.

"I believe stepping down is the right decision." A total of 1,304 ballot papers were issued in Thursday's by-election, with turnout recorded at 27.82%. The result adds to the pressure on Labour as Reform continues to challenge the party's support in communities across England. Labour Party By-election Reform UK Andy Burnham Share Article Share Article Facebook X LinkedIn Reddit Bluesky Email Copy Link Link copied Add us as preferred source Comments

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What we found (2)

The Express leads with a 34 per cent Labour "nosedive" that its own body later says is not a like-for-like comparison, because the 2023 ward elected three councillors and this was a single-seat contest. It then calls a 115-vote win in a council by-election a "humiliation" and a "hammering" for the Prime Minister, words the vote counts it prints do not carry.

  1. Uses figures that mislead

    Serious

    “Labour vote nosedives 34%”

    Why this matters
    The headline puts "nosedives 34%" on Labour's vote as a plain fact. It writes "34%" where the source figure is 34.4 percentage points, and drops the caveat the body later gives.
    The impression it gives
    A reader believes Labour's support in Worksop East collapsed by about a third on a fair comparison with 2023.
    The context
    The Express itself says the 2023 election was a three-seat ward where voters could cast up to three votes, so the figures are not a like-for-like measure of Labour's support. The fall is also a change in percentage points of vote share, not a 34 per cent fall in Labour's vote.

    How we know

    • Elsewhere in the article“do not represent a straightforward like-for-like comparison of Labour's support”
    • Elsewhere in the article“Worksop East was a three-seat ward in 2023, meaning voters could cast up to three votes”
    • Elsewhere in the article“down 34.4 percentage points compared with the previous election in 2023”

    Show it in the article

    Written straight

    Reform wins Worksop East council by-election from Labour by 115 votes. Labour's vote share fell from 2023, though the earlier contest was a three-seat ward and the figures are not directly comparable.

  2. Uses a loaded word

    Minor

    “Humiliation for Andy Burnham”

    Why this matters
    In its own voice the Express calls the result a "Humiliation" for the Prime Minister personally.
    The impression it gives
    A reader believes a single district council by-election was a personal disgrace for the Prime Minister.
    The context
    The contest was for one seat on Bassetlaw District Council, with 1,304 ballot papers issued and turnout at 27.82%. Burnham was not a candidate.

    How we know

    • Elsewhere in the article“A total of 1,304 ballot papers were issued”

    Show it in the article

    “election hammering by Reform”

    Why this matters
    "Hammering" tells the reader Reform crushed Labour.
    The impression it gives
    A reader believes Reform won by a huge margin.
    The context
    Reform won 600 votes to Labour's 485, a majority of 115, with 45.9% against 37.1%. Labour held second place.

    How we know

    Show it in the article

How other outlets reported it

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