Northumberland Conservatives seek collaboration post-elections

Following significant gains in the recent local elections, both the Conservative and Reform UK parties in England are open to working with other parties to ensure effective governance in councils where no party holds an outright majority. In Northumberland, Conservative leader Glen Sanderson expressed his willingness to collaborate with any party to maintain progress and deliver services, as the Tories fell nine seats short of a majority. Similarly, senior figures in Reform UK, including West Midlands regional director Pete Durnell, stated that the party will 'of course' work with other councillors in councils where overall control is in the balance, despite some internal differences over formal alliances. Reform now controls several councils and is the largest bloc in others, emphasizing their dual goals of participating in coalition governance and positioning themselves as a national opposition to the Conservatives. Both parties highlight the necessity of cross-party cooperation due to the fragmented distribution of council seats. This collaborative approach is seen as essential for passing measures and ensuring stable administration at the local level.