Nigel Farage declared, “We are now the opposition party in the U.K. to Labour, and the Tories are a waste of space,” speaking to reporters from Runcorn — a bold statement following a significant by-election result.
The vote, triggered by the conviction of a Labour MP for assaulting a constituent, coincided with the early returns from local elections across England.
While Labour strategists have voiced growing concern over Reform UK’s momentum in national polls, the party managed to secure key mayoral victories in North Tyneside, the West of England, and Doncaster. Notably, Reform UK placed second in each of these contests, reinforcing its rapid political ascent.
Still to be counted is the result in the Greater Lincolnshire mayoral race, where Reform candidate Andrea Jenkyns — a former Conservative MP — is seen as the frontrunner.
The Conservative Party, ousted from national office just last year after a punishing general election, is bracing for a difficult day.
A total of 22 local council results are expected on Friday afternoon. Most of the 1,641 council seats up for grabs have yet to be declared. These seats were last contested in 2021, during the height of the Conservative government’s popularity surge driven by its Covid-19 vaccination rollout.













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