The Conservatives and Reform UK have ruled out a deal to take control of Hertsmere Borough Council from its governing Labour-Liberal Democrat coalition.
The coalition lost its majority after Conservative candidate Linda Silver gained a seat from the Liberal Democrats at the Bushey Park by-election on June 25.
Labour (12) and the Liberal Democrats (7) now only hold 19 of the council’s 39 seats, down from 23 when they came to power in 2023.
The remaining seats are made up of 15 Conservatives, three from the Hertsmere First independent group, and two from Reform UK.
But the leaders of the Conservative and Reform UK groups have ruled out the possibility of a deal to try to take control of the council.
Lynette Sullivan, leader of the Conservative group, said: “Residents voted for Hertsmere Conservatives and we will honour that trust. There will be no deal with Reform. We respect everyone’s right to make their own political choices, but these election results show clearly where local confidence now lies.”
Caroline Clapper, Reform UK group leader, said her party would not “prop up” the Conservatives or the coalition administration.
She said: “We have less than no interest in becoming any kind of extension of the failed political establishment.
“It is difficult to understand why anyone would think we would choose to align ourselves with a party that, after so many years in control, has left Hertsmere facing so many of the challenges it does today.”
Both Cllr Clapper and fellow Reform UK councillor Brett Rosehill defected to their party from the Conservatives, who ran the council from 1999 until 2023.
Cllr Clapper added that Reform UK will “support good ideas (wherever they may come from) and oppose all bad ones, with equal determination”.
The Labour leader of the council, Jeremy Newmark, said the result of the Bushey Park by-election showed that “residents want a plurality of voices in their local government”.
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He continued: “Every party should take that to heart, and show that we are willing to work together, issue by issue, in the interests of our communities.
“We all need to find common ground to take the major decisions that residents rely on. That calls for a more open way of working.
“Residents have asked for more voices around the table, not fewer. My job is to make sure those voices are heard and that we keep delivering for Hertsmere.
“Our administration remains the largest bloc able to lead, but we recognise that the smaller groups hold an important balancing role.
“I have always argued for cross-party working – and stood up to my own party when it tried to curtail it.
“The arithmetic has changed. My commitment hasn’t: deliver for residents, work with whoever’s willing, and leave the point-scoring to others.”
Chris Shenton, leader of the Liberal Democrat group, said his party was “very disappointed” not to have retained their Bushey Park seat and, looking towards the process of local government reorganisation, added that the Lib Dems will “continue to work hard to get the best deal for our residents, and look to the opposition to join us in this task”.
A spokesperson for the Hertsmere First independent group – made up of councillors who have left the Labour and Liberal Democrat groups – said residents had “voted overwhelmingly for change” at the by-election and suggested the result had left the coalition “unable to govern”.
The spokesperson added: “Hertsmere First will continue to play our part in delivering the change in direction that residents are clearly calling for — grounded in transparency, integrity, and a council that listens to the people, not party bosses in Westminster.”
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