Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
LAST UPDATE | 1 hr ago
NIGEL FARAGE’S REFORM UK has secured victory by six votes over Labour in Runcorn and Helsby as Keir Starmer failed his first by-election test as Prime Minister.
The narrow victory for new MP Sarah Pochin saw Reform taking a constituency which Labour won with a majority of almost 14,700 less than 12 months ago.
The result came as Reform made gains against both Labour and the Conservatives across England in local contests, with Farage claiming a “big moment” was taking place in politics.
Nigel Farage to @joncraig - looking absolutely thrilled to win “Labour heartland” of Runcorn -
— Sophy Ridge (@SophyRidgeSky) May 2, 2025
He says this ends the “media narrative” Reform is only a problem for the Tories
And he’s brutal when Jon asks his message to Kemi Badenoch: “Please stay!”
pic.twitter.com/zy7wkmdV6D
Former Conservative minister Dame Andrea Jenkyns was elected for Reform UK as the first Greater Lincolnshire mayor with a majority of almost 40,000 over her former party.
Jenkyns was accused of breaking election rules by standing despite not living in the area – a complaint that was dismissed.
She stormed out of a Sky News interview this morning after she was questioned about why, during her victory speech, she pointed out a fellow candidate’s accent.
The first-ever mayor of Greater Lincolnshire, Reform's Dame Andrea Jenkins, refuses to answer questions from Sky's @serenabarksing on her comments about a fellow mayoral candidate's South African accent.https://t.co/TC2ROCL7wW
— Sky News (@SkyNews) May 2, 2025
📺 Sky 501, Virgin 602, Freeview 233 and YouTube pic.twitter.com/u2QtSwlpHq
Meanwhile, Reform looks set to gain control of Staffordshire County Council after taking 24 of the 30 seats to be counted overnight, with the Conservatives winning the other six.
It means when counting resumes later on Friday, the party needs to win just eight more seats to have a majority on the council.
The Runcorn and Helsby by-election ran alongside local elections across England, having been triggered when former Labour MP Mike Amesbury quit after admitting punching a constituent.
Amesbury won 53% of the vote at the general election – and the defeat, along with Reform gains in other Labour heartlands, will cause unease in Downing Street.
Farage said: “For the movement, for the party, it’s a very, very big moment indeed, absolutely, no question, and it’s happening right across England.”
He said it was a sign that Prime Minister Keir Starmer had “alienated so much of his traditional base, it’s just extraordinary”.
Speaking to the PA news agency, Farage said: “We’ve dug very deep into the Labour vote and, in other parts of England, we’ve dug deep into the Conservative vote and we are now, after tonight there’s no question, in most of the country, we are now the main opposition party to this Government.”
The Runcorn declaration was delayed as the close nature of the contest led to a recount, with Farage forced to wait before arriving at the count centre in Widnes for his moment of triumph.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
have your say