Leader Nigel Farage, a Trump ally, hopes to position anti-immigration party as significant political force in UK.The radical-right Reform UK party has made gains in local and by-elections, seeking to establish itself as a significant political force.
The anti-immigration party won a fifth parliamentary seat, gained its first mayoralty, and took a number of seats on local councils, results on Friday showed. Reform hopes to ride growing support to unbalance the United Kingdom’s political system, which is traditionally dominated by the governing Labour Party and opposition Conservatives.
“It’s been a huge night for Reform,” said Reform leader Nigel Farage after the party was declared winner of the seat of Runcorn and Helsby.
The victory in northwest England, previously a Labour stronghold, came by just six votes.
Reform also prevailed in a mayoral race in Greater Lincolnshire and picked up dozens of council seats from Labour and the Conservatives in the first polls since general elections last year.
The results appear to underline the fracturing of the UK’s political landscape.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer led Labour to one of the largest parliamentary majorities in British history in last year’s election but has gone on to suffer the fastest decline in popularity of any newly elected government. Advertisement
Brexit champion Farage, a populist who has allied himself in the past with United States President Donald Trump, noted that the win …
