Robert Jenrick and Sam Smith: How the secret to winning again might be found in the result of council by-election

Robert Jenrick is shadow justice secretary and MP for Newark. Sam Smith is leader of the Conservative group on Nottinghamshire County Council.

A by-election in Newark. An insurgent party on the right. And despite the national polls, a shock victory for the Conservatives. Where have I heard this before?

No, we’re not back in 2014. Two weeks ago despite the national polls, the Conservatives came out on top in the Newark West by-election, taking a seat from Reform for the first time ever. Just six days after winning in May, Reform’s new councillor in that seat resigned, triggering a by-election. The party’s polls haven’t improved much since May, but nevertheless, it was the Conservatives who won the day.

Many people have asked how we managed to pull this off. Is there some secret sauce in Newark that can be rolled out in the rest of the country?

The truth, as is so often the case, is that the campaign succeeded because it got the basics right.

At the core of our strategy is a strong Conservative brand at the local level, bringing together both our delivery in Westminster and at the local level. In Newark, it’s clear what the Conservatives stand for, whether that’s on national issues like immigration and the cost of living, or on local issues like council tax and the state of the public realm. Put simply, people in Newark know what the Conservative Party is all about. At a time when many voters are disaffected with the state of our politics, that clarity goes a long way.

Of course, a good message is only as good as the person delivering it. Keith Girling, our candidate, is the perfect example of this. He’s a military veteran, a hard-working former councillor who gets stuck in, and a common-sense Conservative. He understands Newark, and he’s spent years building a reputation for delivery.

Often, that’s been through his work at County Hall, but it can be the small gestures which speak the loudest. Keith’s Sunday Roast Club has provided a warm, welcoming community hub for pensioners in Newark, at a time when Labour’s Winter Fuel Cuts left many feeling isolated. That kind of community organisation and mutual support is a core Conservative value; as a party, we must live those values, not just talk about them.

But, naturally, there’s no substitute for hard work. That means long days spent canvassing, leafleting, and getting out the vote. For that to be worthwhile, messaging has to match action. Our win in Newark West wouldn’t have been possible with standard toolkit templates. Instead, local literature complemented the local Conservative brand, putting Keith front and centre.

It also means communicating with people where they are, which is increasingly on social media. Whether at the national level or the local level, mastering social media isn’t just an optional extra, it’s a must. That doesn’t necessarily mean high-production videos; in fact, the simplest content can often be the most powerful.

At the national level, we’ve seen the incredible response to our video on fare dodging, which highlighted a very tangible sign of our national decline, and attracted millions of views in the process. For Keith, it meant producing down-to-earth, heartfelt endorsement videos from normal people. These weren’t actors – they were real local people, including a kickboxing coach, a local business owner, and a regular attendee at Keith’s Sunday Roast Club.

In turn, the Newark team’s energy and visibility attracted help from across the East Midlands. We were amazed to be joined by volunteers from across the region, who recognised just how hard Keith was working.

Activity attracts activity. Campaigning can be a tough business, but when people can see a hard-working team getting stuck in, it’s much easier to imagine themselves spending a Saturday knocking on doors and delivering leaflets. Thank you to all of those who helped, campaigned, and supported Keith.

This is the exact same formula which helped us to hold on in Newark at last July’s General Election, despite every major poll showing that we were on course to lose. And it’s the formula which meant that, in May, Newark had one of the best Conservative results in the country, winning almost every division, and holding back the Reform tide that swept much of the country.

But as much as Newark can sometimes feel like the Indomitable Village from Asterix, holding the Romans at bay, the Conservative Party’s success locally can be replicated elsewhere. Over the next few years, we’ll hear plenty about whether the Conservatives can beat Reform – and if so, how.

Last week’s result in Newark West proves that it can be done.

The public are yearning for Conservatives who sound, and act, like genuine conservatives. The national party is at a low ebb, and many voters are frustrated with the party’s record. Often, they’re right to be. But Reform’s vote is soft, meaning that if Conservatives can show their principles in practice, we can win – whoever we’re up against.