In the gritty, coal-dusted heart of County Durham, where Labour’s grip has held firm for over a century, a political earthquake rattled the Annfield Plain ward yesterday. Darren Grimes, the former GB News firebrand known for his sharp tongue and Brexit fervor, clinched a county council seat for Nigel Farage’s Reform UK, pulling in a jaw-dropping 49.7% of the vote. The result, announced on May 2, 2025, sent ripples through the North East’s political landscape, as voters in this old mining stronghold turned their backs on tradition.
Grimes, a polarizing figure who’s no stranger to headlines, campaigned hard on a message that “Durham was broken.” His pitch leaned into local frustrations—crumbling infrastructure, neglected communities, and a Labour Party many felt had grown complacent. The Annfield Plain ward, a patchwork of terraced houses and post-industrial scars, proved fertile ground for Reform’s outsider rhetoric. Grimes secured 1,364 votes, edging out Labour’s 579 and leaving the Conservatives trailing with a paltry 114. His running mate, Karen Allison, also swept in with 1,404 votes, cementing Reform’s double victory in the ward.
The election, part of the 2025 local polls, saw Reform UK notch up council seats nationwide, but Durham’s result stood out. This was Labour’s backyard, the first county council they ever controlled in England, steeped in the red banners of trade unions and miners’ galas. Yet, on April 16, when Grimes announced his candidacy, he’d vowed to channel the “forgotten voices” of the North East. His campaign, backed by Farage’s relentless anti-establishment drumbeat, hammered home promises of lower taxes, tougher policing, and a shake-up of local services.
Voters turned out in force, with Annfield Plain’s polling stations buzzing despite a drizzly spring day. The final tally, released by Durham County Council, confirmed Grimes’ win as part of a broader Reform surge that saw the party claim control of its first county councils. The numbers didn’t lie: Labour’s vote crumbled, independents scraped by with 574 and 659, and the Tories were all but erased.
Grimes, who’d swapped his TV studio for door-knocking in Durham’s windswept streets, called the win “humbling” in a brief statement after the results. He pledged to “deliver” for residents, though specifics on his plans remained thin. For now, the 31-year-old’s victory stands as a bold marker of Reform’s growing clout—and a warning shot to Labour’s dominance in the region.
The facts are stark. Darren Grimes won the Annfield Plain ward for Reform UK on May 2, 2025, with 1,364 votes and 49.7% of the share. Labour took 579 votes, Conservatives 114, and independents 574 and 659. Karen Allison, also Reform, won 1,404 votes. The results were verified by Durham County Council.