Reform UK Win Mayoral Election As Support For The Party Rises
Nigel Farage’s Reform UK has scored a stunning victory in the Runcorn and Helsby by-election, snatching what was one of Labour’s safest seats by just six votes. Reform candidate Sarah Pochin beat Labour’s Karen Shore, overturning a nearly 15,000 vote majority from the last general election. The seat was up for grabs after former Labour MP Mike Amesbury resigned following an assault conviction. “We now are the opposition party in the United Kingdom to the Labour Party,” Farage said after the result was announced, declaring the Conservatives “toast.”
Alongside that shock win, Reform also claimed its first mayoral post, with Andrea Jenkyns elected in Greater Lincolnshire by a landslide. The former Tory MP slammed "soft touch Britain" in her victory speech, saying, “Tents are good enough for France, they should be good enough for here in Britain.” Reform made strong showings across the board, coming close to unseating Labour in other mayoral races and leading in council seat tallies as results continued to roll in.
The upset has sparked serious concern within Labour, with several MPs and party figures warning the leadership to take voter frustration more seriously. While Labour held on to key mayoral posts in Doncaster, North Tyneside, and the West of England, the margins were slim and Reform has surged in popularity. Labour chair Ellie Reeves acknowledged voter impatience, but insisted change “takes time.” Still, critics within the party say the government’s early decisions—including cuts to benefits and unpopular tax moves—are alienating the very voters who handed Labour a landslide last year.
