Reform wins Runcorn byelection by just six votes in blow to Labour

<p>Result will heighten government’s fears it could lose scores of MPs to Nigel Farage’s party at next general election</p><ul><li><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2025/may/02/local-elections-polls-labour-tories-reform-council-mayor-uk-politics-live-news">Results come in from across England – follow it live</a></li></ul><p>Nigel Farage’s Reform UK has dramatically won the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2025/may/01/polls-close-local-mayoral-elections-england-runcorn-helsby-byelection">Runcorn and Helsby byelection</a> by just six votes in a blow to Keir Starmer’s premiership.</p><p>The hard-right party narrowly overturned Labour’s 14,700-vote majority in the first full-scale electoral test of Starmer’s government.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2025/may/02/reform-runcorn-and-helsby-byelection-local-elections">Continue reading...</a>