Reform UK Wins Barrow By-Election as Party Builds Support in Cumbria
Reform UK has strengthened its presence in Barrow after Hazel Edwards won two local by-elections in Hawcoat.
The party won both the Hawcoat and Newbarns seat on Westmorland and Furness Council and the Hawcoat seat on Barrow Town Council.
The results are another sign that Reform UK is gaining support in parts of Cumbria, particularly in areas where voters may feel frustrated with the main political parties.
Hazel Edwards, a former mayor of Barrow and long-serving local councillor, stood for Reform UK in both contests.
Barrow By-Election Results
In the Hawcoat and Newbarns by-election for Westmorland and Furness Council, Hazel Edwards won with 1,139 votes.
- Labour’s Mike Leach came second with 576 votes.
- Conservative candidate Marco Fawcett received 447 votes.
- Green Party candidate Rebekah Atkinson received 121 votes.
- Liberal Democrat candidate Stephen Pickthall received 69 votes.
Turnout was 27.16%.
In the separate Hawcoat ward by-election for Barrow Town Council, Hazel Edwards also won.
She received 656 votes. Ahead of Labour’s Terry Assouad on 322 and Conservative candidate Marco Fawcett on 270.
Turnout in the town council contest was 30.16%.
Why the Result Matters
The result is important because it shows Reform UK is no longer just picking up protest votes in national polls. The party is now winning local council seats in Barrow.
Hawcoat and Newbarns had previously been seen as a more competitive area between the Conservatives and Labour.
This result suggests Reform is now pulling support from voters who may previously have backed the Conservatives, Labour, or independent candidates.
It also shows the party can win in Barrow when it has a recognisable local candidate.
Who Is Hazel Edwards?
Hazel Edwards is not new to local politics.
She has previously served as mayor of Barrow and has many years of council experience. She was elected in Hawcoat for the Conservatives in 2019 and later stood as an independent in 2022.
For this by-election, she stood for Reform UK.
Her campaign statement said she lived in the ward and wanted to be a strong voice for Barrow. She also said she believed the town had been forgotten by Westmorland and Furness Council.
Reform’s Growing Support in Cumbria
Reform UK has been building support across parts of Cumbria and the wider North West.
In the 2024 general election, Reform received more than 7,000 votes in Barrow and Furness. The party did not win the seat, but it showed there was a clear base of support in the area.
Earlier in 2026, Reform also performed strongly in the Penrith South by-election. The party came second there, behind the Liberal Democrats, with more than 500 votes.
The Hawcoat result goes further because Reform has now turned support into council seats in Barrow.
This follows a wider national pattern, with Reform making major gains in local elections across parts of England.
Candidate Faced Image Alteration Accusation
The campaign also attracted attention for another reason.
Before polling day, Hazel Edwards was accused of using altered campaign images after posting pictures which were said to show campaigners out in Hawcoat and Newbarns.
The issue raised questions about the use of edited or AI-style images in political campaigning.
Reports said Reform UK would not investigate the matter.
The allegation did not stop Edwards from winning both seats.
However, it does highlight a growing concern in politics: voters need to know whether campaign images are genuine, edited, or created using artificial intelligence.
A Warning Sign for Main Parties
The Barrow result will be watched closely by Labour, the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats.
Labour came second in both contests, while the Conservatives were pushed into third place.
For the Conservatives, the result suggests Reform is continuing to take support from traditional right-leaning voters.
For Labour, the result shows that parts of Barrow may be open to an anti-establishment or protest vote, especially where local services, council representation and national politics are causing frustration.
For Westmorland and Furness Council, the result may also increase pressure over how Barrow residents feel represented within the wider authority.
What Happens Next?
Hazel Edwards now joins Westmorland and Furness Council and Barrow Town Council as a Reform UK councillor.
Her win gives Reform a stronger local platform in Barrow.
The key question now is whether the party can build on this result in future local contests, or whether the win was mainly linked to the profile of one well-known local candidate.
Either way, the Hawcoat by-election shows that Reform UK is now a serious force in Barrow politics.
The result also shows that voters are willing to move away from the main parties when they feel local concerns are not being heard.
