Latest news with #JoanDixon
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Reform takes control of Derbyshire County Council
Reform UK has taken control of Derbyshire County Council from the Conservatives. The party needed 33 of county's 64 seats to claim overall majority, which it surpassed, winning 42 in total. The Conservatives lost 33 seats, leaving them with 12, while Labour are down to three. The Derbyshire leaders of both parties - Conservative Barry Lewis and Labour's Joan Dixon, lost their seats to Reform. Stephen Reed, Derbyshire's Reform spokesman, said: "People keep saying it's a protest vote, I think there's no doubt people are protesting at how politics currently runs." Reed, who won the Clay Cross and Tupton division with 1,353 votes, added: "There is an element that people want change so it's a message to other parties to say, look, we're not happy with the way things are going." Responding to the Conservatives' loss, outgoing group leader Lewis said: "It's something of a wipe-out for us, I think - nationally and locally." He put it down difficulties over numerous years "a fractured party" and the party's poor result after holding a general election in 2024. "We need to rebuild trust with our residents and voters who've lost faith with us," he added. Live: Follow latest on local elections Who won the local election in my area? What's happened so far and what's still to come? Labour's Dixon said leading the Derbyshire group had been "a massive privilege" adding that it "fought tooth and nail" this election. She said: "I will continue to be a champion for children with SEND as the stories of parents who have struggled to get the best outcomes for their children has left a profound impression on me. "Thank you to every resident who has supported me over the years. It has been an honour to serve you and serve our beautiful county." By Georgia Roberts, BBC Derby political reporter Reform UK have now officially got a majority on Derbyshire County Council. The casualties they've inflicted include Labour's leader in Derbyshire and potentially (there's a recount it's that close), the current Conservative leader of the council Barry Lewis. There's a feeling here that Reform have managed to mobilised people that don't normally turn out to vote in Derbyshire, and this has helped them along to victory - turnout was higher than expectations. But Conservatives here also say they don't feel they could've fought against the strong sentiment for Reform and sympathy for their national policies. Labour and the Conservative are equally hurting, but for Labour this is a particular blow. A year ago they were expecting to take this council , riding high off the back of recent victories in district and borough councils and a clean sweep of Labour MPs in the general election . One Labour figure here tells me the party now need to do some serious soul searching as to how things have gone "so wrong, so rapidly". Follow BBC Derby on Facebook, on X, or on Instagram. Send your story ideas to eastmidsnews@ or via WhatsApp on 0808 100 2210. Derbyshire County Council
BBC News
02-05-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Reform takes control of Derbyshire County Council
Reform UK has taken control of Derbyshire County Council from the party needed 33 of county's 64 seats to claim overall majority, which it surpassed, winning 42 in total. The Conservatives lost 33 seats, leaving them with 12, while Labour are down to Derbyshire leaders of both parties - Conservative Barry Lewis and Labour's Joan Dixon, lost their seats to Reform. Live: Follow latest on local elections Who won the local election in my area?What's happened so far and what's still to come?Stephen Reed, Derbyshire's Reform spokesman, said: "People keep saying it's a protest vote, I think there's no doubt people are protesting at how politics currently runs."Reed, who won the Clay Cross and Tupton division with 1,353 votes, added: "There is an element that people want change so it's a message to other parties to say, look, we're not happy with the way things are going." Analysis By Georgia Roberts, BBC Derby political reporterReform UK have now officially got a majority on Derbyshire County casualties they've inflicted include Labour's leader in Derbyshire and potentially (there's a recount it's that close), the current Conservative leader of the council Barry a feeling here that Reform have managed to mobilised people that don't normally turn out to vote in Derbyshire, and this has helped them along to victory - turnout was higher than Conservatives here also say they don't feel they could've fought against the strong sentiment for Reform and sympathy for their national and the Conservative are equally hurting, but for Labour this is a particular blow.A year ago they were expecting to take this council , riding high off the back of recent victories in district and borough councils and a clean sweep of Labour MPs in the general election .One Labour figure here tells me the party now need to do some serious soul searching as to how things have gone "so wrong, so rapidly".
BBC News
24-04-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Four key takeaways from BBC Radio Derby election debate
Six leaders standing for election to Derbyshire County Council outlined their views on a range of topics during a care, the state of the county's roads, tourism and trust in politicians were among the issues discussed during the event hosted by BBC Radio candidates were also asked who they would be willing to do a potential deal with in the event no one party gets a clear majority on the leader of an independent party was also included, reflecting the wide range of independent candidates standing across Derbyshire. Those who took part were:Joan Dixon, Derbyshire Labour leaderEd Fordham, Derbyshire Liberal Democrats leaderGez Kinsella, Derbyshire Greens leader Barry Lewis, Derbyshire Conservatives leader (and current leader of Derbyshire County Council)Stephen Reed, Derbyshire Reform UK candidate Philip Rose, Amber Valley Independents leaderHere are four key takeaways from the debate. Clashes on social care Numerous council-run care homes and day centres have closed in recent years in is an issue that has sparked fierce campaigning among families whose elderly relatives have been left facing disruptive moves or paying for expensive private asked about the future of social care in the county, divisions Liberal Democrats' Ed Fordham called on the Conservatives' Barry Lewis to apologise, calling the handling of the issue "shameful". Lewis insisted he was proud of his record on social care and said his party had done "the best we can" given pressures on the authority's Fordham said the Conservatives had "starved our care homes of money", leading to closures. "We spend money badly and he knows it," he Green's Gez Kinsella agreed with the criticisms and accused Lewis of refusing to take the views of local people into account when deciding to close care UK's Stephen Reed described the situation as a "crap sandwich" and held it up as a key area where the party would deploy its anti-waste Joan Dixon conceded there was no money pledged from central government to improve the local picture, amid calls from Independent Philip Rose for Whitehall to boost added that Labour wanted to look at alternative "cooperative or not-for-profit" models of care. Deal or no deal While some national leaders have been keen to rule out the prospect of their party entering into formal coalitions, Derbyshire's leaders indicated they may be open to some form of deal in the event no party wins an outright majority on the council. Stephen Reed, for Reform UK, dismissed a formal coalition but suggested something more informal would be acceptable."We'll work with any party to do the right thing. We won't form a coalition, but we'll work with all the parties," he Lewis, for the Conservatives, did not rule anything out, saying the party would be open to anything in the spirit of "getting things done".Joan Dixon, for Labour, added: "Let the dice roll where they will and then I will think about that depending on what happens on 2 May." The Liberal Democrats, however, said the party would refuse to work with Reform UK, whilst the Greens said they would look at it "issue by issue". Trust in politicians Trust in politics and politicians was another topic raised during the Greens' Gez Kinsella said he had been struck "more than ever before" by the number of people he had come across during the campaign who are "turned off" by politics and and drawn to parties like Reform UK, who he claimed would pose "risks" to the county if they gained UK's Stephen Reed was challenged about a Reform candidate in Derbyshire who it is understood is under investigation for posting a racial slur refused to comment but insisted support for Reform was "enthusiastic". Independent Philip Rose, who was among several local activists to have recently left Reform UK, was challenged on the fact he had been suspended by the Conservatives in 2022 for social media posts that were accused of being anti-semitic. He denied any wrongdoing, stating it was "difficult to support Israel when they're killing so many Palestinians". Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas have been at war since early October after Hamas fighters launched an attack, killing about 1,200 people and taking more than 250 hostages. This triggered a massive Israeli military offensive in also dismissed Reform UK leader Nigel Farage referring to him and other former party members in Amber Valley as "bad apples", claiming Farage had "gone to the left". Plans to tackle potholes The current leader of the council, Barry Lewis, conceded that Derbyshire's roads had got worse in recent years, as set out in government data, but denied the county was the "pothole capital" of the UK, as opponents have often he would not pledge the roads would improve if the Conservatives held on to power on the council, blaming a "flatlining" of investment from central government."We actually spent £50m last year trying to get our roads in order," he told the panel, and said "first time fixes" had Green's Gez Kinsella said more focus needed to go on planned maintenance rather than reactive "slapping concrete into a hole".Labour's Joan Dixon said driving through Derbyshire "felt more like an episode of Top Gear, you're rally crossing around potholes".Whilst she would not pledge the roads would improve if Labour regained control, she said the government was boosting funding. You can find a full list of candidates standing in your local area here, or on Derbyshire County Council's website.
