Reform’s newest MP hails victory

Reform UK’s victory in the Runcorn and Helsby by-election has been hailed by the party’s newest MP.

Former Conservative councillor Sarah Pochin dramatically edged out Labour’s Karen Shore in the Cheshire constituency by just six votes following a recount.

In her victory speech, Pochin said Reform had “made history” while the Tories said it was a “damning verdict” on Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s leadership.

Labour said by-elections were “always difficult” for the party in government and that the circumstances which led to this by-election – namely the resignation of Mike Amesbury following his conviction for assault – had “made it even harder”.

Amesbury, who won the newly created seat at the July 2024 general election with a 14,696 majority, was caught in widely shared CCTV footage punching a constituent in a drunken row.

He subsequently stepped down after admitting assault.

At the by-election count in Widnes, Pochin said: “It would be an honour and a privilege to serve this community, a community of hard-working people who just want fairness.

“Going forward, I will do my best for all you in Runcorn and Helsby… regardless of how you voted, and I will be accessible to you all.”

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said: “It’s the closest by-election since the war and I think one of the most dramatic. But I sense, also, one of the most significant.”

A Labour spokesperson said: “Voters are still rightly furious with the state of the country after 14 years of failure and clearly expect the government to move faster with the Plan for Change.

“While Labour has suffered an extremely narrow defeat, the shock is that the Conservative vote has collapsed.”

The spokesperson claimed moderate voters were “clearly appalled by the talk of a Tory-Reform pact”.

Farage, MP for Clacton in Essex, said the result showed Reform were “not a protest party”.

“Thirty years ago, Parliament was full of people like [Sarah Pochin] that had successful careers, as she’s had in business, in politics, in judiciary and now there are very few of them,” he said.

“We’re putting candidates up, getting people elected with real life experience and that’s what voters want.”

The Conservatives, whose candidate Sean Houlston came a distant third, called the by-election result a “damning verdict” on Sir Keir Starmer’s leadership.

A Tory spokesperson said: “Just 10 months ago Labour won an enormous majority, including in this seat with 52% of the vote, but their policies have been a punch in the face for the people of Runcorn.

“Snatching Winter Fuel Payments from vulnerable pensioners, pushing farmers to the brink with their vindictive Family Farms Tax and hammering families with a £3,500 jobs tax, families are being punished for their disastrous decisions in government.”

There was a turnout of 46% in the by-election, compared with 59% at last year’s general election.

Analysis from the by-election count in Widnes

By Kaleigh Watterson, Cheshire political reporter, BBC News

A big win for Reform after a dramatic evening which included a full recount and a “will he/won’t he?” debate about whether Nigel Farage would attend.

During the campaign, it was billed as a two-horse race between Labour and Reform, and watching the counted votes pile up in each candidate’s tray it was obvious it was going to be close.

I don’t think anyone could have predicted just how close it would be though.

After her win, Sarah Pochin told me it was a “seismic win” for Reform and said her priority would be to listen to those in the constituency.

The new MP said she wanted to get a business plan together to “make real change”.