Nigel Farage is celebrating this morning (Image: Getty)
Nigel Farage is celebrating this morning after Reform UK secured four major wins in separate council by-elections across England. The insurgent party won seismic gains in Rotherham, Tewksbury, Bassetlaw and Hartlepool, all key areas Mr Farage would hope to take at the next general election.
Reform took the Throston ward in Hartlepool with a whopping 48.7% of the vote, gaining from Labour. They also won Rankshill in Bassetlaw with an even more impressive 52.7% of the vote, having not stood last time. Labour and the Tories collapsed by 27.8 points and 42 points respectively, with Mr Farage taking the seats from the Tories. In Northway, Tewksbury, Reform won with 41.4% of the vote, having not previously fielded a candidate, gaining the ward from an independent.
Reform stormed to four victories last night (Image: Getty)
And in Keppel ward Rotherham Reform won 40.3% from another standing start, securing a second gain from Labour who fell by 13.4 points to finish in third place.
In other council by-elections the LibDems had a successful evening, holding a number of council seats in the home counties including Surrey, Woking and Oxfordshire.
David Bull, the party’s chairman, commented: “Now this is really something! Well done team!”
Richard Tice added: “Reform wins 4 council by-elections yesterday, from Labour & Tories including Bassetlaw & Hartlepool. Britain wants Reform.”
Nigel Farage noted: “Reform has taken a council seat each from both Labour and the Conservatives so far tonight.”
Hartlepool was one of Reform’s gains last night (Image: Getty)
Reform now has impressive showings every Thursday, when council by-elections are held, further proving their national poll lead is a real threat to the main parties.
Mr Farage’s party swept to an astonishing victory in May’s local elections, gaining 677 councillors and 10 councils, many more than experts had predicted.
Since the England local elections however, Reform has since won 30 council by-elections, taking their national total up to 842.
The party has also led in every single national opinion poll since early April, the most recent giving then a seven point lead over Labour.
Recent election calculus suggests Reform would come just one seat shy of an overall majority at the moment, with 325 seats.
