Farage celebrates breakthrough: Reform UK secures another seat, launches nationwide offensive

Reform UK candidate Sarah Pochin has emerged victorious in the Runcorn and Helsby by-election after a nail-biting recount.

The constituency was considered one of the safest Labour seats in the country at the last election, but it was thrown into question after Mike Amesbury resigned as MP earlier this year.

In the end, Pochin won by just six votes over Labour candidate Karen Shore.

It takes her party back up to five MPs in parliament – the same number it had after the general election last year, until Rupert Lowe was suspended in March.

Party leader Nigel Farage said it was a ‘big moment’ for Reform UK as he arrived at the Runcorn and Helsby count.

He told reporters: ‘For the movement, for the party its a very, very big moment indeed, absolutely, no question, and it’s happening right across England.’

Pochin said the result showed the people in the Cheshire constituency had had enough of ‘Tory failure’ and ‘Labour lies’.

She told the crowd: ‘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.’

Reform was given a further boost when former Conservative MP Dame Andrea Jenkyns won the race for Mayor of Greater Lincolnshire.

Labour meanwhile said by-elections are ‘always difficult for the party in government’ and the events that led to the by-election – where the incumbent MP was convicted of assault – made it ‘even harder’.

A party spokesperson 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.’

There was better news for Labour elsewhere, with Ros Jones retaining her position as Mayor of Doncaster – a race Farage believed Reform could win.

Helen Godwin also held the close-fought Mayor of West of England contest for Labour, though Reform’s Arron Banks unexpectedly took second place over the Green party.