Results have started coming in from the local elections and by-election, with politicians and councillors from Labour, the Tories and Reform UK watching anxiously in the first major test of opinion for Sir Keir Starmer’s government.
Labour have held onto North Tyneside, one of six mayoral contests, but only by the slimmest of margins ahead of Reform – just 444 votes.
The result also appears to be very close in the by-election in Runcorn and Helsby in Cheshire, called when former Labour MP Mike Amesbury was convicted of assault.
In a highly fragmented party system, the votes will show whether Nigel Farage and Reform have maintained their high poll ratings since last summer.
The Conservatives, defending 954 seats, are bracing themselves for heavy losses. Tory grandees have warned their party against doing deals with Reform.
Early results showed Reform making inroads at the expense of Labour in Northumberland, the only council counting in full overnight.
A total of 1,641 council seats are up for grabs in 23 local authorities across England.
Reform’s Andrea Jenkyns ahead after first declaration in North Lincolnshire
Reform UK candidate Dame Andrea Jenkyns was ahead after the first declaration in the contest to become the first North Lincolnshire mayor.
Boston Borough Council, one of the nine authorities that make up the mayoral area, said Dame Andrea had 7,285 votes, ahead of Conservatives (2,695), Lincolnshire Independents (1,193), Labour (897), Green (774) and Liberal Democrat (513).
Reform’s deputy leader Richard Tice earlier said the party was “absolutely smashing it” in the contest, where Dame Andrea – a former Tory minister – is on course to win.
In the 2016 referendum, 75.6% of people in Boston voted to leave the EU – the highest proportion in the UK.
Runcorn candidates told there are ‘discrepancies in the ballot bundles’
The Independent’s political correspondent Millie Cooke reports from Runcorn:
Candidates in the Runcorn count hall have been told there are some discrepancies with the bundles of ballot papers, sources have said.
While the result was expected to be declared at around 3am, it is now expected to be closer to 4am. A full recount has not yet been declared.
Runcorn by-election result ‘incredibly close’
At the Runcorn and Helsby by-election count, candidates have been told votes are being checked as it is “incredibly close”.
Reform UK members had suggested leader Nigel Farage was due to arrive at Halton Stadium for the count, but the politician has yet to make an appearance.
Staff appear to be checking ballots on a number of tables.
Activity at Runcorn count as Nigel Farage appears to be staying away
The Independent’s political correspondent Millie Cooke reports from Runcorn:
The count hall is on tenterhooks as the results are expected to come in imminently.
All of the candidates and their agents have been summoned to the ballot boxes to speak with the count staff – which could either indicate that the results are about to be declared. Or, more likely, it means that a recount is being called.
Meanwhile, nearly a dozen journalists are waiting in reception for Nigel Farage to arrive after heavy briefing from his team. But it is now thought that the Reform UK leader is staying away from the count hall until its clear his party has stormed to victory in the constituency.
His campaign team have told journalists not to expect him any time soon, downplaying hopes of a victory.
Low turnout for Bristol city in West of England vote
There were more votes cast in the West of England Combined Authority (WECA) areas outside of Bristol than in it, verification figures show.
Bath and North East Somerset had 42,886 verified ballot papers, while South Gloucestershire had 64,847 – a combined total of 107,733.
Bristol had 97,824 verified ballot papers, so 9,909 fewer than the two other areas combined.
Reform’s Richard Tice says ‘seismic shift’ occurring
Reform UK’s deputy leader Richard Tice said there was a “seismic shift” in politics taking place.
He told Sky News that Reform was “absolutely smashing it” in Lincolnshire, with Dame Andrea Jenkyns on course to win the regional mayoral race and the party set for “very good” results in the county council contest.
He said: “There’s no doubt in my mind, I think Andrea Jenkyns has won this race in Greater Lincolnshire for the mayoral and I think we are going to have a very, very good night in terms of the county council.”
Mr Tice said the Runcorn and Helsby by-election was “very, very close, nip-and-tuck, way too close to call”.
He said there was a “seismic shift going on tonight in British politics, where Reform is is taking huge chunks of votes and seats from both the two main parties”.
Labour inch past Reform to win North Tyneside mayoral contest
Labour have won the North Tyneside mayoral contest in the first full result of the night, but Karen Clark had a majority of just 444 over Reform UK’s John Falkenstein.
Broxbourne Borough results in early – as usual
Votes for six of Hertfordshire County Council’s 78 seats were counted overnight by Broxbourne Borough Council, which traditionally is one of the earliest to announce general election results.
Conservatives won four of the seats and Reform UK the other two, on a turnout of 27.64%. The full results for Hertfordshire are not expected until late on Friday afternoon.
The Conservatives previously controlled the council with 43 seats.
Tory council leader loses seat to Reform
Staffordshire County Council Conservative leader Alan White lost his seat to Reform UK’s Tracey Dougherty, who got 1,197 votes in Lichfield Rural East, to his 958.
Reform won a second seat and Conservatives won one seat in the first results to be announced in a county where 30 of the 62 seats were being counted overnight, with the final result expected late on Friday afternoon.
Conservatives had controlled the council with 53 seats, with Labour holding five and independents four.
Turnout just 30% in West of England mayoral election
Counting for the West of England Combined Authority (WECA) mayor election is underway at centres in Bristol, Bath and south Gloucestershire.
Verification figures showed there were 205,557 ballots received from a total electorate of 682,951.
This means the turnout figure was 30%. The figure was 36.61% in the 2021 election and 29.72% in 2017.
The candidates for the election are Aaron Banks (Reform UK), Helen Godwin (Labour), Oli Henman (Liberal Democrats), Mary Page (Green Party), Ian Scott (Independent) and Steve Smith (Conservative).
