This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . The next check for changes will be

You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5y6v02vv6wo

The article has changed 13 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Labour and Reform battle in Runcorn by-election goes to recount Runcorn and Helsby: Reform and Labour four votes apart as by-election goes to recount
(32 minutes later)
The Runcorn and Helsby by-election is on a knife edge, with just four votes separating Reform UK and Labour, the BBC has been told. The Runcorn and Helsby by-election has gone to a dramatic recount with just four votes separating Reform UK and Labour.
A full recount is taking place, after party officials said the first tally put Nigel Farage's party ahead by a tiny margin. Party officials told the BBC the first tally put Nigel Farage's party ahead by a tiny margin, as it seeks its first by-election win.
The by-election - Sir Keir Starmer's first major electoral test as prime minister - was triggered by the resignation of former Labour MP Mike Amesbury, following his conviction for assaulting a constituent. The vote - Sir Keir Starmer's first major electoral test as prime minister - was triggered by the resignation of former Labour MP Mike Amesbury, following his conviction for assault.
Farage said Labour had asked for a recount but he was "confident" of a Reform victory, which would be the party's first by-election win and take its number of MPs to five. Farage said Labour had asked for a recount but he was "confident" of a Reform victory, which would give them a first big win of the night after Labour held on in a string of mayoral races.
Candidates gathered with election officials as bundles of ballot papers were checked. Reform UK chairman Zia Yusuf watched the Runcorn count
Runcorn was a safe Labour seat at the last general election, with a big majority of 14,696.
Candidates at the count gathered with election officials as bundles of ballot papers were checked.
One party member was seen holding up four fingers to a colleague, before a recount was confirmed.One party member was seen holding up four fingers to a colleague, before a recount was confirmed.
The narrowest by-election result on record is in Berwick-upon-Tweed in 1973, when the Liberals won by only 57 votes.The narrowest by-election result on record is in Berwick-upon-Tweed in 1973, when the Liberals won by only 57 votes.
Earlier, Labour held the North Tyneside mayoralty by just 444 votes, with the party seeing its share of the vote fall significantly and Reform coming a close second. In early results Labour held the North Tyneside and Doncaster mayoralties by just a few hundred votes.
It also held on in the West of England mayoral contest, with a majority of 5,949, as the Tories were pushed to fourth place behind Reform and the Greens.
Labour saw its share of the vote fall significantly as Reform came a close second in all three races.
Reform is still hoping to make further gains in the Greater Lincolnshire mayoral contest, as well as in council elections, where most counting is starting later.Reform is still hoping to make further gains in the Greater Lincolnshire mayoral contest, as well as in council elections, where most counting is starting later.
Reform's deputy leader Richard Tice told the BBC he believed the party's candidate in the Greater Lincolnshire mayoral race, Andrea Jenkyns, had won "by a considerable margin".Reform's deputy leader Richard Tice told the BBC he believed the party's candidate in the Greater Lincolnshire mayoral race, Andrea Jenkyns, had won "by a considerable margin".
The party is also targeting councils including Kent and Lincolnshire, where the Conservatives currently have large majorities, while it is aiming to make gains at the expense of Labour in areas like Doncaster. The party is also targeting councils including Kent and Lincolnshire, where the Conservatives currently have large majorities, while it is aiming to make gains at the expense of Labour on councils like Doncaster.
In the Hull & East Yorkshire mayoral contest, it could be a closely fought race between the Tories, Labour, the Lib Dems and Reform's candidate, former Olympic boxer Luke Campbell.In the Hull & East Yorkshire mayoral contest, it could be a closely fought race between the Tories, Labour, the Lib Dems and Reform's candidate, former Olympic boxer Luke Campbell.
Support for Reform UK has been rising in national polls since last year's general election, when the party secured more than four million votes, coming third behind Labour and the Conservatives.Support for Reform UK has been rising in national polls since last year's general election, when the party secured more than four million votes, coming third behind Labour and the Conservatives.
You can follow all the results and reaction on BBC One and on iPlayer, the News Channel, Sounds and on the BBC live page.You can follow all the results and reaction on BBC One and on iPlayer, the News Channel, Sounds and on the BBC live page.
LIVE: Follow the latest election updatesLIVE: Follow the latest election updates
POSTCODE LOOKUP: Check the results in your areaPOSTCODE LOOKUP: Check the results in your area
SIMPLE GUIDE: When will we know the rest of the results?SIMPLE GUIDE: When will we know the rest of the results?
FULL COVERAGE: Catch up on all our election storiesFULL COVERAGE: Catch up on all our election stories