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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) | |
| Moment Reform wins Runcorn and Helsby by-election | Moment Reform wins Runcorn and Helsby by-election |
| Reform UK has won the Runcorn and Helsby by-election by just six votes, beating Labour after a dramatic recount. | Reform UK 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. |
| She becomes Reform's fifth MP on a massive 17.4% swing from Labour in what was one of the party's safest seats. | She becomes Reform's fifth MP on a massive 17.4% swing from Labour in what was one of the party's safest seats. |
| As well as winning its first ever parliamentary by-election, Reform also took its first mayoralty in Greater Lincolnshire - though Labour held on in three other mayoral races. | As well as winning its first ever parliamentary by-election, Reform also took its first mayoralty in Greater Lincolnshire - though Labour held on in three other mayoral races. |
| Labour requested a recount Runcorn just before 0400 BST, after party officials told the BBC the first count put Nigel Farage's party ahead by just four votes. | Labour requested a recount Runcorn just before 0400 BST, after party officials told the BBC the first count 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 the Liberals won by 57 votes in Berwick-upon-Tweed in 1973. | The final result beats the previous post-war record for the closest by-election, which the Liberals won by 57 votes in Berwick-upon-Tweed in 1973. |
| LIVE: Follow the latest election updates | LIVE: Follow the latest election updates |
| AT A GLANCE: What happened overnight and what's still to come? | AT A GLANCE: What happened overnight and what's still to come? |
| CURTICE: Reform challenging traditional party dominance | CURTICE: Reform challenging traditional party dominance |
| POSTCODE LOOKUP: Check the results in your area | POSTCODE LOOKUP: Check the results in your area |
| Farage, who appeared at the count shortly before the result was declared, said his party takes on the responsibility that comes with winning elections "with glee". | Farage, who appeared at the count shortly before the result was declared, said his party takes on the responsibility that comes with winning elections "with glee". |
| "We can see that support for the Labour Party has collapsed within 10 months of them winning the general election," the Reform leader said. | "We can see that support for the Labour Party has collapsed within 10 months of them winning the general election," the Reform leader said. |
| "I think we've supplanted the Conservative Party now as the main opposition party in government." | "I think we've supplanted the Conservative Party now as the main opposition party in government." |
| He added: "The message that we're getting in places where we didn't win, was that if you vote Conservative you actually get Labour." | He added: "The message that we're getting in places where we didn't win, was that if you vote Conservative you actually get Labour." |
| In her victory speech, Pochin - Reform's first female MP - said: "The people of Runcorn and Helsby have spoken - enough is enough. | In her victory speech, Pochin - Reform's first female MP - said: "The people of Runcorn and Helsby have spoken - enough is enough. |
| "Enough Tory failure, enough Labour lies." | "Enough Tory failure, enough Labour lies." |
| Watch: Reform by-election win raises questions for Labour and Tories | Watch: Reform by-election win raises questions for Labour and Tories |
| 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. |
| Labour Party chair Ellie Reeves said: "Incumbent governments never do well in by-elections and this one was being held in difficult circumstances". | Labour Party chair Ellie Reeves said: "Incumbent governments never do well in by-elections and this one was being held in difficult circumstances". |
| She added: "We were elected on a mandate for change and we know that people are impatient for that change." | She added: "We were elected on a mandate for change and we know that people are impatient for that change." |
| One Labour campaigner told the BBC the government's controversial decisions to cut winter fuel payments for pensioners and disability benefits had affected the result. | One Labour campaigner told the BBC the government's controversial decisions to cut winter fuel payments for pensioners and disability benefits had affected the result. |
| "On every door it was the same story - winter fuel and PIP [personal independence payment]," they said. | "On every door it was the same story - winter fuel and PIP [personal independence payment]," they said. |
| Doncaster's Labour mayor Ros Jones – who was re-elected with a majority of 698 - criticised her party's decision to cut the winter fuel allowance, increase employer's national insurance contributions and squeeze benefits. | Doncaster's Labour mayor Ros Jones – who was re-elected with a majority of 698 - criticised her party's decision to cut the winter fuel allowance, increase employer's national insurance contributions and squeeze benefits. |
| "I think the results here tonight will demonstrate that they need to be listening to the man, woman and businesses on the street, and actually deliver for the people, with the people," she told the BBC. | "I think the results here tonight will demonstrate that they need to be listening to the man, woman and businesses on the street, and actually deliver for the people, with the people," she told the BBC. |
| Nigel Huddleston, the co-chair of the Conservative Party rejected Farage's claim that Reform were now the party of opposition as "not credible", pointing out that Reform now had five MPs to the Tories' 121. | Nigel Huddleston, the co-chair of the Conservative Party rejected Farage's claim that Reform were now the party of opposition as "not credible", pointing out that Reform now had five MPs to the Tories' 121. |
| He said: "We are His Majesty's opposition and we take take that responsibility incredibly seriously, which is why you see us turn up in the chamber of the House of Commons holding Labour to account, doing the hard work in bill committees, when Reform are hardly about." | He said: "We are His Majesty's opposition and we take take that responsibility incredibly seriously, which is why you see us turn up in the chamber of the House of Commons holding Labour to account, doing the hard work in bill committees, when Reform are hardly about." |
| In Greater Lincolnshire, former Conservative MP and minister Andrea Jenkyns, who defected to Reform last year, became the region's first mayor. | In Greater Lincolnshire, former Conservative MP and minister Andrea Jenkyns, who defected to Reform last year, became the region's first mayor. |
| She won with a majority of almost 40,000 over the Conservatives. | She won with a majority of almost 40,000 over the Conservatives. |
| 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. |
| Most council results are not expected until Friday afternoon but Reform made some early gains overnight, with the party winning more than half of the first 100 council seats to be declared. | Most council results are not expected until Friday afternoon but Reform made some early gains overnight, with the party winning more than half of the first 100 council seats to be declared. |
| In Northumberland, Labour and the Conservatives lost seats to Reform, which looks on course to take control of Staffordshire County Council. | In Northumberland, Labour and the Conservatives lost seats to Reform, which looks on course to take control of Staffordshire County Council. |
| Reform 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. | Reform 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. |
| Reform UK chairman Zia Yusuf (left) celebrated alongside Farage at the count | Reform UK chairman Zia Yusuf (left) celebrated alongside Farage at the count |
| 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. |
| Meanwhile, the Liberal Democrats are hoping to take seats off the Tories in places like Gloucestershire and Hertfordshire. | Meanwhile, the Liberal Democrats are hoping to take seats off the Tories in places like Gloucestershire and Hertfordshire. |
| Liberal Democrat deputy leader Daisy Cooper said many people had "not forgiven" the Tories for "the state they left the country in" and were "dismayed" by Labour's actions since coming into government. | |
| "We think we can replace the Conservatives as the party of Middle England," she said. | |
| "We think it's possible that by the end of today we may be a bigger party in local government than the Conservatives." | |
| The Tories are defending the most seats in this set of local elections, which were last contested in 2021 when then-Prime Minister Boris Johnson was enjoying a surge in support following the rollout of the Covid vaccine. | The Tories are defending the most seats in this set of local elections, which were last contested in 2021 when then-Prime Minister Boris Johnson was enjoying a surge in support following the rollout of the Covid vaccine. |
| Elections on Thursday were held in a total of 23 councils in England – mostly in rural and suburban areas where the Tories have traditionally been strong – as well as for six mayors. | Elections on Thursday were held in a total of 23 councils in England – mostly in rural and suburban areas where the Tories have traditionally been strong – as well as for six mayors. |
| This is a smaller set of local elections than normal after the government announced polls would be postponed in nine areas, where councils are being re-organised. | This is a smaller set of local elections than normal after the government announced polls would be postponed in nine areas, where councils are being re-organised. |
| 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 |
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