Reform UK's Sarah Pochin has won the Runcorn and Helsby by-election by just six votes, in an astounding victory amid a wider earthquake in local English politics. Early results have shown a huge swing in the country, with thousands of Brits backing Reform UK over the main parties.

The race was the only parliamentary seat up for grabs at the 2025 local elections, after the Cheshire seat was vacated by Labour's Mike Amesbury, who had won the seat with 53 per cent of the vote and a large margin. Amesbury resigned the seat after pleading guilty to assault in January for punching one of his constituents.

Moments before the declaration, Nigel Farage said: "What's going on is incredible. We are now the opposition to the Labour Party, who are in government and in most parts of the country now, if you vote Conservative, you risk getting Labour."

Speaking from the podium in Widnes, Sarah Pochin MP said: "The people of Runcorn and Helsby have spoken. Enough Tory failure. Enough Labour lies. I want to thank everyone who was brave enough to put a cross next to my name on the ballot paper."

The Cheshire count was tense well into the early hours and it only became more so as it emerged just how close the final result would be, with vote bundles being pulled out and recounted while Reform and Labour campaigners watched closely.

But after many meetings and much consternation, it emerged that the ballot would be taken to a full recount after Reform appeared to be ahead by just four votes. Three hours later at 6am, the result had been revised, with the party now winning by six votes.

The final tally saw Pochin take 12,645 votes from the people of Runcorn and Helsby, while Labour's Karen Shore fell just short with 12,639. The Conservatives received just 2341.

Runcorn and Helsby was created as a seat in 2023 following a boundary review and won a year later by Mike Amesbury with 52.9 per cent of the vote and a 15,000 lead over the Conservatives. At Thursday's by-election, turnout was 13 per cent lower than at the 2024 General Election, but high for a by-election.

From the first results, it was clear that one of the major stories of the night was Reform UK's massive surge across the country. Reform candidates won dozens of previously Labour and Conservative-held seats. In some races in Northumbria, Reform Candidates won by more than 50 per cent.

In the North Tyneside race for mayor, Labour managed to hold onto the position by a whisker. The race saw a massive 26 per cent swing to Reform, with Karen Anne Clark retaining the seat for Labour with 16,230 votes.

But her nearest challenger, Reform's barrister John Falkenstein was less than 500 votes behind, with 15,786 votes. Meanwhile, in Greater Lincolnshire, a Tory turncoat, former MP Andrea Jenkyns, pulled ahead early and appears set to become Reform UK's first-ever mayor.

The final results will be known by Friday afternoon, with many of the counts continuing in the morning.