Earlier polling suggested the possibility of an upset. The result brings the total number of Reform MPs to five, while demonstrating a broader populist groundswell. Farage told Sky News
Think about the change—this is heartland Labour party. Their vote has collapsed, and much of it’s come to us. That does away with the sort of media narrative that somehow it’s just us versus the Conservatives. It’s not. This is a whole different politics.
The by-election was called after its Labour MP was convicted of assaulting a constituent.
Voters switching from both Labour and the Tories—who finished in third place—to Farage’s party have inflicted the first big defeat on Keir Starmer since last year’s general election, in the narrowest by-election result since 1945.
While town and country municipal ‘local’ election results are still being counted, it is likely that Reform UK have performed beyond expectations. Former Tory Dame Andrea Jenkyns is now Reform UK’s executive Mayor-elect of Greater Lincolnshire. The party also performed well in most of the other mayoral elections held on Thursday, May 1st.
