The populist right-wing Reform UK party led by Nigel Farage has emerged victorious in a by-election, securing an additional seat in parliament, while also electing two mayors and taking control of six local government councils.
Farage’s party, him having promised to “smash the two-party system”, appeared to take large swathes of votes from both the British Left and Right.
After the victory in the Runcorn and Helsby by-election, by just six votes, Reform called itself the main opposition party to challenge the Labour-led British Government.
Current Prime Minister Keir Starmer called the results “disappointing” and said his government would respond by going “further and faster on the change”.
Compared to 2021, Reform gained 40 per cent, while the Conservative Party lost 28 per cent and Labour lost 8 per cent of its vote share, the BBC reported on May 2.
In Runcorn and Helsby, after a recount, the parliamentary seat went to Reform candidate Sarah Pochin.
With this, the party has now five seats in parliament.
The seat was up for grabs after Labour MP Mike Amesbury had assaulted a man from his constituency during a street argument, punching him in the head.
Amesbury was given a 10-week prison sentence and suspended for two years after admitting the attack.
It may be a small margin but it’s a huge win. Congratulations @SarahForRuncorn. pic.twitter.com/t2zn66Dzsq
— Nigel Farage MP (@Nigel_Farage) May 2, 2025
Elsewhere, Reform did well in Greater Lincolnshire, where more than 1 million people live, with former Conservative MP Andrea Jenkyns securing a mayoral win for Reform with a relatively large margin.
In other places, Labour was able to hold on albeit narrowly, with Reform often turning out to be a close second.
Labour MP Kim Johnson warned that the election results were a “warning we can’t ignore”, adding that the voters wanted change and if the party did not provide it, an “extreme Right” alternative would end up in power.
As results were coming in, with Labour appearing to be losing support and Reform gaining, many Labour politicians were highly critical of their own party and its leadership, stressing a need for change.
With votes still being counted at the time of writing in more than 1,600 council seats, full results were expected later.
A satirical Christmas song mocking UK PM Keir Starmer's policy on cutting winter fuel payments for pensioners has topped the UK download charts despite alleged radio boycotts, including by the BBC. https://t.co/MC5vcY67Rb
— Brussels Signal (@brusselssignal) December 20, 2024
