7 minutes agoShareSaveBecky MortonPolitical reporterShareSaveReform UK has won the Runcorn and Helsby by-election by just six votes, beating Labour after a dramatic recount.In Sir Keir Starmer’s first major electoral test as prime minister, former Conservative councillor Sarah Pochin overturned a 14,696 majority to take the Cheshire seat for Reform.She becomes Reform’s fifth MP on a massive 17.4% swing from Labour in what was one of the party’s safest seats.As well as winning its first ever parliamentary by-election, Reform also took its first mayoralty in Greater Lincolnshire – though Labour held on in three other mayoral races.Labour requested a recount Runcorn just before 0400 BST, after party officials told the BBC the first count put Nigel Farage’s party ahead by just four votes.The final result beats the previous post-war record for the closest by-election, which the Liberals won by 57 votes in Berwick-upon-Tweed in 1973. Farage, who appeared at the count shortly before the result was declared, said his party takes on the responsibility that comes with winning elections “with glee”.”We can see that support for the Labour Party has collapsed within 10 months of them winning the general election,” the Reform leader said.”I think we’ve supplanted the Conservative Party now as the main opposition party in government.”He added: “The message that we’re getting in places where we didn’t win, was that if you vote Conservative you actually get Labour.”In her victory speech, Pochin – Reform’s first female MP – said: “The people of Runcorn and Helsby have spoken – enough is enough.”Enough Tory failure, enough Labour lies.”The by-election was triggered by the resignation of former Labour MP Mike Amesbury, following his conviction for assaulting a constituent.Labour Party chair Ellie Reeves said: “Incumbent governments never do well in by-elections and this one was being held in difficult circumstances”.She added: “We were elected on a mandate for change and we know that people are impatient for that change.”One Labour campaigner told the BBC the government’s controversial decisions to cut winter fuel payments for pensioners and disability benefits had affected the result.”On every door it was the same story – winter fuel and PIP [personal independence payment],” they said.Doncaster’s Labour mayor Ros Jones – who was re-elected with a majority of 698 – criticised her party’s decision to cut the winter fuel allowance, increase employer’s national insurance contributions and squeeze benefits.”I think the results here tonight will demonstrate that they need to be listening to the man, woman …
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[mwai_chat context=”Let’s have a discussion about this article:nn7 minutes agoShareSaveBecky MortonPolitical reporterShareSaveReform UK has won the Runcorn and Helsby by-election by just six votes, beating Labour after a dramatic recount.In Sir Keir Starmer’s first major electoral test as prime minister, former Conservative councillor Sarah Pochin overturned a 14,696 majority to take the Cheshire seat for Reform.She becomes Reform’s fifth MP on a massive 17.4% swing from Labour in what was one of the party’s safest seats.As well as winning its first ever parliamentary by-election, Reform also took its first mayoralty in Greater Lincolnshire – though Labour held on in three other mayoral races.Labour requested a recount Runcorn just before 0400 BST, after party officials told the BBC the first count put Nigel Farage’s party ahead by just four votes.The final result beats the previous post-war record for the closest by-election, which the Liberals won by 57 votes in Berwick-upon-Tweed in 1973. Farage, who appeared at the count shortly before the result was declared, said his party takes on the responsibility that comes with winning elections “with glee”.”We can see that support for the Labour Party has collapsed within 10 months of them winning the general election,” the Reform leader said.”I think we’ve supplanted the Conservative Party now as the main opposition party in government.”He added: “The message that we’re getting in places where we didn’t win, was that if you vote Conservative you actually get Labour.”In her victory speech, Pochin – Reform’s first female MP – said: “The people of Runcorn and Helsby have spoken – enough is enough.”Enough Tory failure, enough Labour lies.”The by-election was triggered by the resignation of former Labour MP Mike Amesbury, following his conviction for assaulting a constituent.Labour Party chair Ellie Reeves said: “Incumbent governments never do well in by-elections and this one was being held in difficult circumstances”.She added: “We were elected on a mandate for change and we know that people are impatient for that change.”One Labour campaigner told the BBC the government’s controversial decisions to cut winter fuel payments for pensioners and disability benefits had affected the result.”On every door it was the same story – winter fuel and PIP [personal independence payment],” they said.Doncaster’s Labour mayor Ros Jones – who was re-elected with a majority of 698 – criticised her party’s decision to cut the winter fuel allowance, increase employer’s national insurance contributions and squeeze benefits.”I think the results here tonight will demonstrate that they need to be listening to the man, woman …nnDiscussion:nn” ai_name=”RocketNews AI: ” start_sentence=”Can I tell you more about this article?” text_input_placeholder=”Type ‘Yes'”]
