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| Runcorn and Helsby by-election: Reform beats Labour by just six votes | Runcorn and Helsby by-election: Reform beats Labour by just six votes |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Reform has won the Runcorn and Helsby by-election by just six votes, beating Labour after a dramatic recount. | Reform has won the Runcorn and Helsby by-election by just six votes, beating Labour after a dramatic recount. |
| In Sir Keir Starmer's first major electoral test as prime minister, former Conservative councillor Sarah Pochin overturned a 14,696 majority to take the Cheshire seat for Reform. | In Sir Keir Starmer's first major electoral test as prime minister, former Conservative councillor Sarah Pochin overturned a 14,696 majority to take the Cheshire seat for Reform. |
| The by-election was triggered by the resignation of former Labour MP Mike Amesbury, following his conviction for assaulting a constituent. | The by-election was triggered by the resignation of former Labour MP Mike Amesbury, following his conviction for assaulting a constituent. |
| Reform's first ever victory in a parliamentary by-election came after Labour held on in a string of mayoral races. | Reform's first ever victory in a parliamentary by-election came after Labour held on in a string of mayoral races. |
| It means Reform UK - originally called the Brexit Party when it was founded in 2018 – now has five MPs. | |
| Labour requested a recount, after party officials told the BBC the first tally put Nigel Farage's party ahead by just four votes. | Labour requested a recount, after party officials told the BBC the first tally put Nigel Farage's party ahead by just four votes. |
| The final result beats the previous post-war record for the closest by-election, which was won by just 57 votes in Berwick-upon-Tweed in 1973. | |
| Farage said the result "proves we are now the opposition party to this Labour government". | |
| "With this and other results tonight, it's clear that if you vote Conservative you will get Labour," he wrote on X. | |
| "But if you vote Reform, you get Reform." | |
| A Labour spokesperson said: "By-elections are always difficult for the party in government and the events which led to this one being called made it even harder." | |
| They added that "voters are still rightly furious with the state of country" after 14 years of Conservative rule and "expect the government to move faster". | |
| But they argued the Tory vote had "collapsed", at just 2,341. | |
| A Conservative Party spokesman said Sir Keir's political programme had been "roundly rejected" and Labour MPs would "rightfully question his leadership" following the result. | |
| Earlier, candidates at the count gathered with election officials as bundles of ballot papers were checked. | Earlier, 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. |
| In early results, Labour held the North Tyneside and Doncaster mayoralties by just a few hundred votes. | 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. | 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. | Labour saw its share of the vote fall significantly as Reform came a close second in all three races. |
| Reform UK chairman Zia Yusuf (left) celebrated alongside Farage at the count | |
| 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 on councils 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 updates | LIVE: Follow the latest election updates |
| POSTCODE LOOKUP: Check the results in your area | POSTCODE 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 stories | FULL COVERAGE: Catch up on all our election stories |