Labour record convincing victory in Milton Keynes by-election
Labour’s Tracey Bailey has been elected to Milton Keynes City Council after winning a by-election in New Bradwell held following the death of councillor Shanika Mahendran.
Bailey received 1,023 votes in the poll on Thursday, September 24, giving her a majority of 582 over Reform UK candidate Julian Camies, who finished second with 441.
Green Party candidate Alan Francis came third with 175 votes, followed by Conservative Gabriel Ferreira da Costa on 160 and Liberal Democrat Martin Clarke on 87.
Camies and Francis had both stood in the ward at the city council elections in May.
Turnout was 25.9 per cent. Of the 1,891 ballot papers cast, five were rejected because voters had selected more candidates than they were entitled to. The ward has an electorate of 7,300.
The by-election was called after Mahendran died on July 1, aged 28, following a short illness. First elected to the city council in 2022, she won a New Bradwell seat alongside fellow Labour candidate Stephen Brown in May this year.
Mahendran served as the council’s cabinet member for planning and placemaking. She had previously held the economy, sustainability and innovation portfolio. Earlier this year, she was named among The Planner magazine’s Women of Influence 2026.
The five candidates contested one vacant seat yesterday (Thursday).
Returning officer Sharon Bridglalsingh declared Bailey elected after the votes were counted today (Friday).
Bailey posted on Facebook following her victory: “Thank you to everyone who turned out to vote for me.
"It is an honour to become your elected representative, and regardless of how you voted, I will be straight to work next week when my IT is sorted.”
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