We are now main opposition party, says Reform's Farage

NIGEL Farage has said Reform UK is “now the main opposition party” to the government after his party’s victories in the Runcorn and Helsby by-election and other local election contests.

- 

The Reform leader said his party “dug very deep into the Labour vote” in the Cheshire constituency and “dug very deep into the Conservative vote” in other parts of England.

In one of the closest parliamentary contests ever, new MP Sarah Pochin took the seat that Labour won with a majority of more than 14,000 last year by just six votes.

Meanwhile, former Conservative minister Dame Andrea Jenkyns was elected for Reform UK as the first Greater Lincolnshire mayor with a majority of almost 40,000 over her former party.

The party has also taken control of Staffordshire County Council and took 21 seats in Northumberland, which now remains under no overall control.