00:00Leeds has gained a second Reform UK councillor following the by-election in Morley South on the 12th of June.
00:06Ryan Taylor from Reform UK was elected with 2,119 votes.
00:12The Morley Borough independents came second with 1,450 votes and the Liberal Democrats came third with 1,009 votes.
00:21Labour came fourth, the Green Party came fifth and the Conservatives came sixth in the by-election,
00:26which was triggered by the resignation of long-serving councillor and former town mayor Wynne Kidger, who stepped down after eight years.
00:34After growing up in Bramley, former professional rugby player Ryan Taylor moved to Morley 14 years ago.
00:41He later joined the military as a Royal Engineer, completing a tour of Iraq and two tours of Afghanistan.
00:47It was during this time when resources were provided during combat that he said he understood the difference politics could deliver.
00:53Leaving the army in 2015, he campaigned for the Conservatives in 2017 and 2019 before stepping away.
01:00He said he found his political home as Reform UK surged in popularity and is now the vice-chair of the constituency party.
01:08Talking to the Yorkshire Evening Post, Ryan said he wanted to stand because politics in the area has become stagnant and there has to be some kind of opposition.
01:16Some of the issues he'd like to focus on are tackling potholes, transport and antisocial behaviour.
01:22Ryan is the second Reform UK councillor following Trish Smith's switch to the party in May.
01:28The councillor for Pudsey confirmed that she joined the party following a great deal of reflection.
01:33Leeds City Council is now made up of 60 Labour councillors, 14 Conservatives, 11 Independents or others,
01:396 Liberal Democrats, 6 Green Party councillors and 2 Reform UK councillors.
Be the first to comment