28-02-2025
Tories win town council by-election with big majority
The Conservatives have won the Harrington by-election on Workington Town Council.
William Miskelly, known as Billy, beat his Labour Party opponent, Anthony McGuckin with more than 64 per cent of the vote.
Labour had campaigned for the seat with Workington and Whitehaven MP Josh MacAlister and Cumbria's Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner, David Allen leading door knocking sessions in Harrington during the election campaign.
Cllr Miskelly joins Cllr Hilary Harrington and Cllr Paul Larkin in representing Harrington on Workington Town Council which boats major Cumberland Council Cabinet members amongst its number including Cllr Mark Fryer, Cllr Barbara Cannon and Cllr Denise Rollo.
The result will be a boost to the Conservative Party as they look to regain the support of the electorate in West Cumbria following a difficult election campaign in 2024 when they lost all of their parliamentary seats in Cumbria.
The turnout for the election was less than 17 per cent with 421 ballots cast with two rejected ballot papers.
One was disallowed for voting for more than one candidate with the other being unmarked or uncertain.
READ MORE: Cumbrian devolution will give power back to local people claims Labour
Full result: MCGUCKIN, Antony David - Labour Party: 146 votes
MISKELLY, William James (commonly known as Billy) - The Conservative Party Candidate: 273 votes.
The size of the electorate was 2,489. The number of ballot papers issued was 421. The turnout was 16.91 per cent.
