VOTERS in Royton North are set to return to the polls after former Reform UK group leader Lewis Quigg resigned from Oldham Council.
The by-election follows Cllr Quigg’s announcement on October 23 that he was leaving politics altogether, citing the pressure recent events had placed on his family.
Cllr Quigg, who was first elected in 2022, had been one of Reform UK’s most prominent figures in Oldham, leading the party’s council group during its significant gains at the May 2026 local elections.
His departure came just a day after Reform UK confirmed he had resigned from its council group during an internal investigation.
In a statement at the time, the party said the decision followed a difference of perspective over internal policy matters.
Cllr Quigg subsequently announced that he would also resign as a councillor and withdraw from public life.
He said: “I have made the decision following a discussion with them to resign as a councillor completely. I intend to leave politics completely as I wish to lead a private life away from public life and politics.”
His resignation creates another electoral contest in Oldham, where political control of the council has remained unresolved since May’s elections.
Reform UK won 13 of the 20 seats contested in May but did not secure an overall majority on the authority.
The party has also undergone a series of leadership changes, with Cllr Quigg replaced by Mark Wilkinson in September before Cllr Paul Taylor took over.
A separate by-election is already scheduled for Failsworth West on Thursday, November 12, following Mr Wilkinson’s resignation on health grounds.
The Royton North contest will give voters another opportunity to elect a representative as Oldham’s political parties continue to compete for influence on the council.
A polling date for Royton North has not yet been independently verified.