Nigel Farage has snatched one of the safest Labour seats in the country, winning the Runcorn and Helsby by-election by just six votes – on a night of Tory defeats in the mayoral and local council elections.
Reform’s Sarah Pochin became the party’s fifth MP after overturning Labour’s previous majority of almost 15,000 votes, taking hold of an area which has been held by the party for more than 40 years.
Meanwhile, in the four of the six mayor elections declared so far, Reform won Greater Lincolnshire with 42 per cent of the vote, while Labour took Doncaster, North Tyneside and West of England with the Tories coming third in each.
Across the 24 local councils the BBC report that Reform has gained 79 councillors. The Conservatives have lost 62, Labour 13.
Mr Farage, who hailed a “phenomenal night” for Reform, said the results showed his party was replacing the Tories as the party of opposition. “You’re witnessing the end of a party that’s been around since 1832, they are disappearing,” he said.
Conservative co-chairman Nigel Huddleston defended leader Kemi Badenoch. Speaking on Good Morning Britain, he said: “We took an absolute drubbing at last year’s general election, we lost two-thirds of MPs, and we unfortunately were anticipating pretty big losses today.”
Still today, the results of two mayoral elections – Cambridgeshire and Peterborough and Hull & East Yorkshire – are to come along with the local councils.
Live results map for every council and mayor race
Some 1,641 council seats are up for election out of around 17,000 across England, in 23 councils which were previously Conservative strongholds, in addition to six mayoral elections.
Andy Gregory2 May 2025 09:55
‘My response is we get it,’ Sir Keir tells reporters after by-election defeat
More now on what Sir Keir is saying to the media after giving a speech at a defence firm in Bedfordshire this morning.
He says Labour “get it” and that they will go “further and faster on the change that people want to see” in the wake of the overnight election results.
He tells reporters: “What I want to say is, my response is we get it.
“We were elected in last year to bring about change.”
He says that his party have “started that work” with changes such as reductions in NHS waiting lists, and he adds: “I am determined that we will go further and faster on the change that people want to see.”
Labour’s by-election defeat ‘disappointing’, says Sir Keir Starmer
We’re just hearing the first reaction from Sir Keir Starmer on the result of yesterday’s by-election in Runcorn and Helsby.
He told GB News the outcome, which saw Labour lose a near-15,000 majority, was ‘disappointing’ but the government was determined to go ‘further and faster’ in delivering change
‘Enough Tory failure, enough Labour lies,’ Reform’s first female MP’s victory speech
On a dramatic night in the Runcorn and Helsby by-election, Reform UK Sarah Pochin won by just six votes after a recount.
She overturned a near-15,000 majority held by Labour before Mike Amesbury stood down after his assault conviction.
Reform leader Nigel Farage said the victory was part of a “huge night for Reform”.
In her speech after being declared MP for Runcorn and Helsby, Ms Pochin said: “The people of Runcorn and Helsby have spoken – enough is enough.
“Enough Tory failure, enough Labour lies.
“I want to thank every one of you who were brave enough to put a cross against my name on the ballot paper, every one of you who voted for change, every one of you who have put their faith in me as your next Member of Parliament for this constituency, which has such potential, and who have put their faith in Nigel Farage as the next Prime Minister of this great country.”
Alex Ross2 May 2025 11:10
When are the remaining councils likely to return results?
So far, out of 24 local councils, just one council has returned its local election results.
Northumberland County Council remains under no overall control, but now has 10 fewer Tory councillors.
Reform has 23 councillors, having previously had none, while Labour have eight, down from 20.
As for the other councils, here’s a rough guide on when we expect results to come in:
3pm – Buckinghamshire, Doncaster and Leicestershire councils
4pm – Gloucestershire, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Derbyshire and Hertfordshire councils
5pm – Worcestershire, North Northamptonshire, Nottinghamshire and Oxfordshire councils
6pm – Lincolnshire, Warwickshire, Cambrideshire, Corwall, Devon, West Northamptonshire and Wiltshire councils
Diane Abbott joins chorus of Labour voices hitting out over Runcorn loss to Reform
Diane Abbott has become the latest Labour MP to hit out at the party, at the recriminations over the Runcorn by-election loss gather pace.
Ms Abbott did not deny her party’s central argument that it has faced “difficult decisions” upon entering government.
She added: “But Labour has chosen to cut welfare and the winder fuel allowance, while increasing funding for the military, giving sweeteners to non-doms and to Big Oil.
“It is Labour’s choices that are wrong.”
Kate Devlin, Whitehall Editor2 May 2025 10:49
Starmer avoids election results during speech in Bedfordshire
Sir Keir Starmer is speaking now in at a defence firm in Bedfordshire, praising their “inspirational work” and “inspirational people”.
The prime minister references the importance of their work in light of Russia’s war in Ukraine, and Britain’s increased defence spending “as we build our national security”.
With most local election results still due, Sir Keir made no reference in his speech to the ongoing contest, while thanking employees at the firm for their work in a speech lasting more than five minutes.
Andy Gregory2 May 2025 10:48
Labour narrowly sees off challenge by Brexiteer Aaron Banks in mayoral race
Brexiteer and Ukip donor Aaron Banks came within just 3 per cent of winning the West of England mayoralty last night.
Instead, the Reform candidate lost out to Labour’s Helen Godwin, with 45,252 votes to her 51,197.
Andy Gregory2 May 2025 10:39
John McDonnell hits out at ‘tin-eared’ Labour response
Sir Keir Starmer is facing more criticism from the left, with former Labour shadow chancellor John McDonnell – now an independent MP – hitting out at the party’s response to the results so far as “tin-eared”.
Mr McDonnell said on social media: “Labour supporters feel Labour, their party, has turned its back on them citing Winter Fuel Allowance, NI tax on jobs & threat of disability cuts.
“Message to ministers is drop the plans to attack [the] disabled.”
Andy Gregory2 May 2025 10:34
Analysis | Starmer facing criticism after Runcorn defeat
Two more left-wing Labour MPs have joined Richard Burgon in calling for a change of course from Sir Keir Starmer.
Following their party’s defeat in the Runcorn and Helsby by-election, Kim Johnson and Brian Leishman said the party’s current direction will usher in a far right government.
Ms Johnson said: “Runcorn is a warning we can’t ignore. Voters want change – and if we don’t offer it with bold, hopeful policies that rebuild trust, the far right will.
“If we don’t step up now, the alternative won’t be more of the same – it’ll be an extreme right-wing government.”
Mr Leishman added: “Runcorn shows Labour must change course. People voted for real change last July & an end to austerity.
“The first 10 months haven’t been good enough or what the people want & if we don’t improve people’s living standards then the next government will be an extreme right wing one.”
A Labour spokesperson said by-elections are “always difficult for the party in government” and the circumstances of this vote “made it even harder”.
They said: “Voters are still rightly furious with the state of the country after 14 years of failure and clearly expect the government to move faster with the plan for change.”
Archie Mitchell, Political Correspondent2 May 2025 10:23