Reform UK has won another council seat in an area that has postponed local elections until next year.
It comes days after a Reform candidate won a by-election in West Sussex - another area given the go-ahead to delay their election until May 2026 under Labour's devolution plan to turn two-tier councils in England into unitary authorities.
The win adds to Nigel Farage's momentum going into May 1, when voters will head to the polls in 23 areas across England to choose new councillors.
With the Conservatives defending a very high baseline and Reform fielding the most candidates, Reform is projected to win hundreds of seats.
In a taste of what could come, Annie-May O'Neill has been elected unopposed to Ongar Town Council, located in the Epping Forest District of Essex.
A by-election will also be held for a vacant Shelley Ward seat on the council.
The Chipping Ongar ward seat became vacant with the resignation of Cormac O'Neil.
Zia Yusuf, the Chairman of Reform UK, trumpeted O'Neill's win on X, telling his followers that "Reform has all the momentum in British politics".
For her part, O'Neill said it would be a "true honour" to serve the people of Ongar.
Reform UK gains another council seat in area delayed under Labour as Keir Starmer faces ballot box vengeance
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Why these recent electoral wins are significant
Although the Conservatives and Labour did not field a candidate in the Ongar seat, a clear pattern is emerging ahead of May 1.
The win in Essex shares a common characteristic with Reform candidate Giuliano Pinnelli's narrow by-election victory in the Bognor Regis Marine Ward seat last week.
West Sussex and Essex were among nine councils granted permission to delay their elections until 2026 under Labour's devolution plans.
The government plans to turn two-tier councils in England into unitary authorities.
The councils insist that delaying their elections to May 2026 will buy them time to make the necessary structural changes.
For her part, Angela Rayner said that holding elections for bodies that were due to be scrapped would be "an expensive and irresponsible waste of taxpayers' money".
Reform UK does not buy it, accusing Labour of "colluding" with the Conservatives to thwart the insurgent party's rise to power as the delays are in areas where a strong turnout is expected.
Those looking forward to voting for Reform on May 1 also share this sentiment, with a growing number threatening to withhold their council tax out of protest.
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Despite the election delays, pollsters project Farage's party winning big on Thursday
PAGains in these areas, therefore, hint at what Reform could have achieved if elections were going ahead.
It also portends a reckoning at the ballot box, with voters potentially registering their discontent at Labour's move on May 1.
Despite the election delays, pollsters project Farage's party winning big on Thursday.
Speaking exclusively to The Independent, Prof Curtice said less than half of voters are telling pollsters they will vote for one of the two main parties, in a historic shift in voting patterns.
He said: “Fewer than half of the people who tell pollsters how they are going to vote say they are going to vote either Conservative or Labour. It has never been quite that low before.”
This is consistent with a polling prediction from Lord Hayward, who expects the Tories to lose between 475 and 525 local authority seats.
