Blackburn with Darwen
Unitary authority · North West · 51 seats in 17 wards · A third of seats elected in three years out of four · Next election 6 May 2027
Labour run Blackburn with Darwen Council as a minority administration. The council has 51 councillors in 17 wards. Seats by party: Labour 20, Other 17, Reform 9, Conservative 5. The next election is on 6 May 2027.
A government plan to replace the councils in this area with four unitary councils was paused for review on 7 September 2026. Elections due in May 2027 will go ahead on existing council boundaries. Source
Seats by party
2026 election results for Blackburn with Darwen, ward by ward
Who holds each ward
Winning margin at the last election, in points.
Coloured by the party holding most of the ward's seats today; where seats are split evenly, by the party with the higher share at the last election.
Councillors and last results
Select a ward for its full results, candidates and last by-election.
| Ward and councillors | Last election |
|---|---|
| Audley & Queen's Park Amin Kapadia, Salim Sidat, Aadil Chopdat | 7 May 2026 Independent 38.5% lead 17.3 pts |
| Bastwell & Daisyfield Rana Khan, Shaukat Hussain, Shakeel Choudhry | 7 May 2026 Independent 46.7% lead 7.2 pts |
| Billinge & Beardwood Waqar Hussain, Jackie Floyd, Tasleem Fazal | 7 May 2026 Independent 41.9% lead 25.1 pts |
| Blackburn Central Zamir Khan, Terri Mahmood, Mahfooz Hussain | 7 May 2026 Labour 41.1% lead 13.3 pts |
| Blackburn South & Lower Darwen John Slater, Daniel Matchett, Liz Johnson | 7 May 2026 Reform 56.0% lead 33.3 pts |
| Blackburn South East Vicky McGurk, Andy Mahon, Tony Humphrys | 7 May 2026 Reform 46.6% lead 19.6 pts |
| Darwen East Katrina Fielding, Matt Gibson, Christine Dawson | 7 May 2026 Reform 45.2% lead 17.3 pts |
| Darwen South Matthew Jackson, Anthony Shaw, Bradley Langford | 7 May 2026 Reform 51.0% lead 30.2 pts |
| Darwen West Brian Taylor, Stephanie Brookfield, Janine Crook | 7 May 2026 Reform 43.1% lead 5.7 pts |
| Ewood John Clayton, Ashley Whalley, Jim Casey | 7 May 2026 Reform 51.2% lead 31.9 pts |
| Little Harwood & Whitebirk Mustafa Desai, Haroon Khan, Altaf Patel | 7 May 2026 Independent 48.5% lead 23.2 pts |
| Livesey with Pleasington Paul Marrow, Helen Voegt, Mark Russell | 7 May 2026 Reform 43.3% lead 18.7 pts |
| Mill Hill & Moorgate Julie Gunn, Damian Talbot, Stephen Hartley | 7 May 2026 Reform 53.7% lead 29.9 pts |
| Roe Lee Imran Ahmed, Phil Riley, Saj Ali | 7 May 2026 Independent 42.4% lead 16.8 pts |
| Shear Brow & Corporation Park Hussain Akhtar, Muntazir Patel, Salma Patel | 7 May 2026 Labour 47.9% lead 3.2 pts |
| Wensley Fold Mohmed Patel, Iqbal Masters, Quesir Mahmood | 7 May 2026 Independent 41.4% lead 5.2 pts |
| West Pennine Jean Rigby, Angela Crane, Neil Slater | 7 May 2026 Reform 39.1% lead 10.0 pts |
Audley & Queen's Park
Last scheduled election, 7 May 2026
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aadil Chopdat Elected | Independent | 886 | 38.5% |
| Yusuf Jan-Virmani | Independent | 489 | 21.2% |
| Ehsan Raja | Labour | 427 | 18.5% |
| Catherine Richards | Reform | 177 | 7.7% |
| Michael Nickson | Green | 173 | 7.5% |
| Zain Ghulam | Independent | 104 | 4.5% |
| Tristan Marrow | Conservative | 46 | 2.0% |
Bastwell & Daisyfield
Last scheduled election, 7 May 2026
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shakeel Choudhry Elected | Independent | 1,332 | 46.7% |
| Parwaiz Akhtar | Labour | 1,127 | 39.5% |
| Matthew Khan-Dyer | Green | 149 | 5.2% |
| Fajila Patel | Independent | 133 | 4.7% |
| Maurice David Robinson | Reform | 97 | 3.4% |
| Reece MacAulay | Conservative | 17 | 0.6% |
Billinge & Beardwood
Last scheduled election, 7 May 2026
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tasleem Fazal Elected | Independent | 1,173 | 41.9% |
| Shabbir Dudhara | Labour | 470 | 16.8% |
| Imtiaz Ali | Conservative | 397 | 14.2% |
| Aimee Louise Dewse | Green | 395 | 14.1% |
| Danny Wilson | Reform | 365 | 13.0% |
Blackburn Central
Last scheduled election, 7 May 2026
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zamir Khan Elected | Labour | 865 | 41.1% |
| Aliraza Tariq | Independent | 586 | 27.8% |
| Isaac John Cowans | Reform | 359 | 17.1% |
| Saul Whittle | Green | 186 | 8.8% |
| Simon Pearce Huggill | Lib Dem | 55 | 2.6% |
| Keith Murray | Conservative | 54 | 2.6% |
Blackburn South & Lower Darwen
Last scheduled election, 7 May 2026
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daniel Matchett Elected | Reform | 1,313 | 56.0% |
| Jacquie Slater | Conservative | 531 | 22.7% |
| Hazel Marie Walsh | Green | 499 | 21.3% |
Blackburn South East
Last scheduled election, 7 May 2026
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Andy Mahon Elected | Reform | 840 | 46.6% |
| Jim Shorrock | Labour | 487 | 27.0% |
| Ahmed Abdelrahman | Green | 346 | 19.2% |
| Henry Arnold | Conservative | 130 | 7.2% |
Darwen East
Last scheduled election, 7 May 2026
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Christine Dawson Elected | Reform | 919 | 45.2% |
| Martin McCaughran | Labour | 568 | 27.9% |
| Yasmin Monique Gabrielle Connell | Green | 362 | 17.8% |
| Ryan Slater | Conservative | 184 | 9.1% |
Darwen South
Last scheduled election, 7 May 2026
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bradley Langford Elected | Reform | 1,405 | 51.0% |
| Sue Skipper | Labour | 573 | 20.8% |
| Kevin Connor | Conservative | 471 | 17.1% |
| Denise Veronica Morgan | Green | 306 | 11.1% |
Last by-election, 17 November 2022
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Matt Jackson Elected | Labour | 569 | 44.9% |
| Janine Crook | Conservative | 562 | 44.3% |
| Mark Davies | Lib Dem | 137 | 10.8% |
Darwen West
Last scheduled election, 7 May 2026
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Janine Crook Elected | Reform | 1,136 | 43.1% |
| David Smith | Labour | 986 | 37.4% |
| Eleanor Jean Hill | Green | 233 | 8.8% |
| Steve Duncan | Conservative | 207 | 7.9% |
| Ian Charles Thomas | Lib Dem | 71 | 2.7% |
Ewood
Last scheduled election, 7 May 2026
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| John Alan Clayton Elected | Reform | 1,034 | 51.2% |
| Elaine Whittingham | Independent | 391 | 19.3% |
| Willem Evans | Green | 351 | 17.4% |
| Les Cade | Conservative | 245 | 12.1% |
Little Harwood & Whitebirk
Last scheduled election, 7 May 2026
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Haroon Khan Elected | Independent | 1,203 | 48.5% |
| Salim Lorgat | Labour | 627 | 25.3% |
| John Black | Reform | 283 | 11.4% |
| James Paul Schofield | Green | 269 | 10.8% |
| Emma Macaulay | Conservative | 98 | 4.0% |
Livesey with Pleasington
Last scheduled election, 7 May 2026
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Helen A R Voegt Elected | Reform | 1,448 | 43.3% |
| Rick Moore | Conservative | 823 | 24.6% |
| Derek James Hardman | Independent | 427 | 12.8% |
| Oscar Marshall | Labour | 325 | 9.7% |
| Paul Anthony Florentine | Green | 323 | 9.7% |
Mill Hill & Moorgate
Last scheduled election, 7 May 2026
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stephen James Hartley Elected | Reform | 1,047 | 53.7% |
| Donna Marie Talbot | Labour | 465 | 23.8% |
| Charlotte Audrey Bradley | Green | 277 | 14.2% |
| Tillie Delaney | Conservative | 162 | 8.3% |
Roe Lee
Last scheduled election, 7 May 2026
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sajid Ali Elected | Independent | 1,119 | 42.4% |
| Tommy Temperley | Reform | 676 | 25.6% |
| Hassan Ul-Haq | Green | 436 | 16.5% |
| Sarah Morrison | Conservative | 282 | 10.7% |
| Mudassir Shaheen | Workers Party of Britain | 73 | 2.8% |
| Liyakat Sidat | Independent | 52 | 2.0% |
Shear Brow & Corporation Park
Last scheduled election, 7 May 2026
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hussain Akhtar Elected | Labour | 1,440 | 47.9% |
| Suleman Khonat | Independent | 1,345 | 44.7% |
| Alex Wareing | Green | 128 | 4.3% |
| Christopher John Powell | Reform | 74 | 2.5% |
| Adrian Hoole | Conservative | 20 | 0.7% |
Wensley Fold
Last scheduled election, 7 May 2026
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maulana Siddiq Patel Elected | Independent | 1,100 | 41.4% |
| Tahyub Naser | Labour | 962 | 36.2% |
| Jordan Andrew Sands | Reform | 262 | 9.9% |
| Jane Wareing | Green | 228 | 8.6% |
| Mags Marrow | Conservative | 57 | 2.1% |
| Altaf Patel | Independent | 39 | 1.5% |
| Safvan Patel | Independent | 10 | 0.4% |
West Pennine
Last scheduled election, 7 May 2026
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Angela Crane Elected | Reform | 1,264 | 39.1% |
| Julie Slater | Conservative | 939 | 29.1% |
| Jude David Rowley | Labour | 696 | 21.5% |
| Simon Charlesworth | Green | 331 | 10.2% |
Seats up on 6 May 2027
17 of 51 seats are up. Seats held now, by party:
| Ward | Councillor whose term ends |
|---|---|
| Audley & Queen's Park | Salim Sidat Independent |
| Bastwell & Daisyfield | Shaukat Hussain Labour |
| Billinge & Beardwood | Jackie Floyd Labour |
| Blackburn Central | Mahfooz Hussain Labour |
| Blackburn South & Lower Darwen | John Slater Conservative |
| Blackburn South East | Vicky McGurk Labour |
| Darwen East | Matt Gibson Labour |
| Darwen South | Anthony Shaw Labour |
| Darwen West | Stephanie Brookfield Labour |
| Ewood | Jim Casey Labour |
| Little Harwood & Whitebirk | Mustafa Desai Independent |
| Livesey with Pleasington | Paul Marrow Conservative |
| Mill Hill & Moorgate | Damian Talbot Labour |
| Roe Lee | Phil Riley Labour |
| Shear Brow & Corporation Park | Salma Patel Independent |
| Wensley Fold | Quesir Mahmood Labour |
| West Pennine | Jean Rigby Conservative |
Term end dates from Open Council Data.
Every council by-election since 2021
1 by-election since July 2021, 1 of them gains.
| Date | Ward | Result | Winner's share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 17 November 2022 | Darwen South | Labour gain from Independent | 44.9% |
Parliamentary constituencies
| Constituency | Share of council | 2024 winner | Projected now |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blackburn | 69% | Other | Other 33% |
| Rossendale and Darwen | 31% | Labour | Labour 35% |
Share of the council: the proportion of its census neighbourhoods (2021 LSOAs) in each seat. The projection is PollCheck's demographic model at current polling, not a forecast.
Who lives in Blackburn with Darwen
154,744 residents in 58,766 households
GB figure. 2021 Census (Scotland: 2022): age as a share of residents aged 15 and over, qualifications of residents aged 16 and over, housing as a share of households. Leave: 2016 EU referendum, Electoral Commission results by counting area.
Councils most like this one
Closest on the measures above: the 2016 Leave vote, age, qualifications and housing. Maps show which party holds each ward.
Sources and method
Seat totals and control: PollCheck council control tracker. Councillors: Open Council Data (CC BY-SA 4.0). Election results: Democracy Club (CC BY 4.0), with some vote counts from DCLEAPIL, Leman (2025) (CC BY-SA 4.0), and corrections checked against councils' official declarations. Ward boundaries: Source: Office for National Statistics licensed under the Open Government Licence v.3.0. Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right 2026. Census: Office for National Statistics and National Records of Scotland.
Councillor lists and DCLEAPIL-derived vote counts on this page are available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
In wards electing more than one councillor, a party's share counts only its leading candidate (the Rallings and Thrasher method). Independents count individually. The lead is the gap between the top two parties' shares.