The recently established Taunton and Wellington branch of Reform UK has secured second place in its first ever by-election with 118 votes.

Reform UK candidate, Jim Langford, polled 118 votes in the by-election for the Taunton Town Council’s Lyngford Ward seat on Thursday, February 6.

The candidate for the Liberal Democrats, Liam Pollard won almost half of the votes cast, with 221, followed closely by Reform UK’s Jim Langford, with 118 votes, and James Edward Scoins of the Conservative Party with 67.

Mr Langford said: "I am here to stay and will attend Town Council meetings continuing to highlight the many constant failings of the LibDem dominated council.”

Charles Hansard, the Reform UK branch Chairman for Taunton and Wellington who lives in Wellington added: "This is just the beginning. We have a continually growing membership from both Wellington and Taunton and a very enthusiastic group of helpers and campaigners.

“Our vote in Lyngford was greater than both Labour and the Tories combined, so after sweeping aside the Tories we will now start taking the fight to the LibDems with our common sense local policies to reduce costs and the burden of council mismanagement from the hard pressed residents to Taunton and Wellington.”