Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch will see her bounce in the polls put to the test as the Tories mount a defence of multiple council seats on December 11.

An astonishing nine elections will be held this week, with voters going to the polls in Red Hall and Lingfield, Whitburn and Blackburn, Aveland, Armitage with Handsacre, Seaton, Penyrheol, Belmont, Eaglescliffe West and Fort William and Ardnamurchan.

The Conservatives will mount a defence of three council seats while putting up candidates in the other six in what could be a make-or-break day for their electoral momentum.

After month after month in the doldrums of public opinion after its shattering defeat in the 2024 election, the Conservatives have begun to see some signs of recovery following Ms Badenoch’s fiery performances in the wake of last month’s Budget.

YouGov polling showed the Conservative vote share has risen from 17 to 19 per cent. While this quickly fell by a point, the Tory leader’s personal approval ratings remain strong.

Opinium recorded Ms Badenoch’s personal approval rising by three points to net –14, tying her with Nigel Farage. This is a huge increase compared to just a few months ago, when she sat neck-and-neck with Sir Keir Starmer on -30.

Another party that will be watching these nine by-elections closely will be Reform UK, which is standing in each seat.

Mr Farage’s party will hope to build on previous electoral momentum and put right the defeat they suffered at the Caerphilly byelection in October, with Penyrheol being found within the Senedd constituency.

Armitage with Handsacre Lichfield

First up, we’re in Staffordshire where five candidates have their eyes on the Armitage with Handsacre council seat.

The vote was called following the resignation of Conservative councillor Nikki Hawkins.

Locals will head to the polls on 11 December with candidates from Labour, Reform UK, the Green Party, the Liberal Democrats and the Conservatives standing.

The full list of candidates standing in Armitage with Handsacre

• James Blackman (Labour)
• Andrew Clissett (Reform UK)
• David Cullen (Greens)
• Morag Maclean (Lib Dem)
• Martyn Punyer (Conservatives)

Aveland South Kesteven

The seat became up for grabs after Conservative councillor Richard Dixon-Warren resigned to spend more time with his family.

“I thoroughly enjoyed my time as a district councillor and I was very pleased to be part of the council”, he said.

“I just felt that I wasn’t giving it as much time as I needed to. I’m not unhappy with the council, I just wanted to be able to spend more time with my family and have more time to continue my work with charities and local organisations.”

Reform UK’s Mayor for Greater Lincolnshire Andrea Jenkyns has been on the campaign trail for this one, spending time doorstepping with Kyle Abel.

The Labour Party, the Conservatives and the Green Party all have candidates trying to stop the Reform surge.

The full list of candidates standing in Aveland South Kesteven

• Kyle Abel (Reform UK)
• David Aaron Burling (Labour)
• Brynley Heaven (Green Party)
• Tony Vaughan (Conservatives)

Eaglescliffe West Stockton-on-Tees

Now, we head to Eaglescliffe West in County Durham, where voters are set to pay a visit to the ballot box.

This by-election was prompted by the resignation of Laura Tunney.

Ms Tunney narrowly won the seat in 2023, beating her Conservative counterpart Diane Clarke with 1,204 votes.

LATEST DEVELOPMENTS

• Keir Starmer sends two top allies to EU in last-ditch bid to ‘fix far-right problem’
• Borrowing costs surge slaps Britons with £7bn bill but ‘premium easing’ in win for Rachel Reeves
• Donald Trump slams ‘vicious’ Sadiq Khan as US President claims London Mayor ‘elected by migrants’

Darlington Borough Council — Red Hall and Lingfield

Elsewhere in the north east, there is a seat up for grabs in the Darlington Borough Council.

Labour councillor Amanda Riley’s decision to step down was down to ill-health, and her party colleague Mandy Porter was full of praise after the decision.

“I would like to thank Amanda for all her hard work in serving the residents of Red Hall and Lingfield and supporting me across the ward”, she said.

“I know this has been a very difficult and sad decision for Amanda to make, but she is stepping down as a result of ill-health.”

The full list of candidates standing in Red Hall and Lingfield

• Kyle Thomas Bartch (Conservatives)
• Monty Brack (Independent)
• Louise A Maddison (Green Party)
• Simon Thorley (Liberal Democrats)
• Jonnie Vasey (Labour)
• Michael Alan Walker (Reform)

West Lothian Council — Whitburn and Blackburn

Voters in the Whitburn and Blackburn ward will go the polls to choose the successor to Labour’s David Russell, who quit in September.

He opted to step down less than a year after he was elected to replace Kirsteen Sullivan.

Mr Russell’s decision to resign came as a blow to the minority Labour-led administration as it brought its headcount to just 11 councillors.

He held the ward seat in a by-election last November with a slender victory of just 71 votes over the SNP.

The full list of candidates standing in Whitburn and Blackburn

• Douglas Thomas Butler (Lib Dem)
• Callum Cox (SNP)
• Thomas Robert Lynch (Independent)
• Samuel James Robert McCulloch (Labour)
• David McLennan (Reform UK)
• Eddie Millar (Independent)
• Reece Sinnott (Conservative Party)
• Robbie Gerald Walker (Green Party)

East Devon District Council — Seaton

Next, we head to Devon, where a departure from the East Devon District Council has prompted four candidates to put their names forward for the subsequent by-election.

Following the resignation of Conservative Councillor Derek Haggerty, four candidates will be vying for the seat in the seaside town.

Full list of candidates in Seaton

• Karen Boyes (Conservatives)
• Simon Day (Reform UK)
• Steve Hunt (Liberal Democrats)
• Paul K. Johns (Independent)

Penyrheol — Caerphilly

Lindsay Whittle’s election to the Senedd has prompted this by-election, with five candidates vying for the seat.

Mr Whittle’s election forced him to step down from his council job due to rules banning Senedd members from serving as councillors.

Mr Whittle’s election to the Senedd was a historic win for Plaid Cymru, who saw off Reform UK to take the seat.

He stormed to victory with a nearly 4,000-vote majority, sparking huge celebrations at Caerphilly Leisure Centre.

The full list of candidates standing in Penyrheol

James Bevan (Reform UK), Brandon Philip Gorman (Welsh Conservative Party), Mary Elizabeth Lloyd (Welsh Liberal Democrats), Aneurin Minton (Plaid Cymru), Keiran Russell (Welsh Labour Party)

Belmont — South Kesteven

Next up, we head to Belmont, the second by-election being held in the South Kesteven ward.

The resignation of Grantham Independent councillor Phil Gadd prompted this one, and five candidates are locking horns for his vacated seat.

The full list of candidates for Belmont

• Declan Thomas Peter Gibbons (Independent)
• Sean Duncan Hothersall (Green Party)
• Richard Stephen Litchfield (Reform UK)
• Susan Elizabeth Nash (Labour Party)
• Adam Neil Stokes (Conservative and Unionist Party)

Fort William and Ardnamurchan — Highland Council

The Highlands’ first transgender councillor stepped down in October citing “personal reasons”, meaning this by-election will now take place.

The SNP’s Sarah Fanet announced her decision in a three-and-a-half minute long video on Facebook, saying it had been an “immense honour” to serve the local community.

Ms Fanet said: “It is with a heavy heart that I am announcing today that in a few weeks I will be leaving the Highlands for personal reasons.

“I cannot therefore continue to represent you as your councillor for the ward of Fort William and Ardnamurchan, and I will be stepping down from this role at the end of October.

“It’s been an immense honour and privilege to represent you and I want again, from the bottom of my heart, to thank you for trusting me and electing me twice.

“I want to thank everyone, community councils, community groups, everyone, however you voted, for engaging with me and working with me to help me bring a difference to the people of Lochaber.”

The full list of candidates for Fort William and Ardnamurchan

Ollie Crookwood (Scottish Greens), Allan MacDonald (Reform UK), Norrie MacLean (SNP), Julia Peill (Scottish Conservative & Unionist Party), Michael Robert Perera (Scottish Labour Party), Matthew Prosser (Scottish Liberal Democrats)