Reform UK has won the Runcorn and Helsby by-election by just six votes – an extremely narrow victory that will serve as a major boost to Nigel Farage’s party.
The party claimed victory with 12,645 votes, after the contest sat on a knife edge for hours as a full recount was called, with just a few votes sitting between Reform and Labour.
Sir Keir Starmer’s party had held the area for more than 40 years and the seat was won by Labour’s Mike Amesbury at the 2024 general election with a majority of almost 15,000 votes.
Amesbury resigned in February after he was convicted of assault for punching a constituent, triggering Thursday’s by-election.
The vote was the first major test for both Reform and Sir Keir after last year’s historic general election victory, nine months into a Labour government where Mr Farage’s party had been leading in the polls.
It came as hundreds of council seats and four mayoralties were contested around England, with the Tories facing the biggest losses having previously held a majority of the seats.
Labour’s ability to hold the Runcorn seat came under increasing doubt ahead of polls opening, amid plummeting approval ratings.
The party’s declining position in the polls was triggered by concern over the government’s controversial decision to slash welfare payments and means test the winter fuel allowance, alongside mounting concern over the state of the economy.
Ahead of the by-election, there was talk of a pact between Reform and the Tories after Conservative MP, with former Cabinet minister Esther McVey saying her party should let Nigel Farage’s party win the by-election.
As the Conservatives continued to lag behind in the polls, Ms McVey appeared to defy party leader Kemi Badenoch and advocate for an alliance with Mr Farage’s party.
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