From a full recount of votes at the Runcorn by-election to a blistering row between MPs on live TV, catch up on a dramatic night since polls closed for the local elections
It’s been a dramatic night since polls closed for the local elections yesterday.
Keir Starmer suffered a huge blow in the Runcorn and Helsby by-election after Reform UK dramatically won it by a mere six votes. The vote was on a knife edge, with a full recount ordered at 4am.
Other results in mayoral contests were also too close to call until the last moment, with Labour’s North Tyneside majority reduced to just 444 in its mayoral race. Labour had some success in other mayoral races too, which offered a relief after the by-election loss.
Reform UK stole dozens of councillor seats from the Tories, with Labour suffering losses too. Hundreds of seats are still to be declared, with a dramatic day of announcements expected on Friday.
Tensions were high during the night. BBC’s rolling local election coverage saw a big row early on between Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson and Tory MP Richard Holden, who flung insults at each other before the night had barely begun.
Here’s everything you missed from overnight.
READ MORE: Local elections 2025 LIVE: Reform wins Runcorn by-election by just 6 votes after recount
1. Runcorn by-election drama
Keir Starmer suffered a huge loss to Nigel Farage’s party in the Runcorn and Helsby by-election.
In a major upset for the PM’s party, Reform’s Sarah Pochin stole the Labour strong-hold, winning 12,645 votes. She beat Labour’s candidate Karen Shore by a mere 6 votes, who came second with 12,639 votes. Ms Pochin will become Reform UK’s fifth and first female MP in Parliament.
It came after full recount was launched at around 4am after the first count was said to put Reform UK ahead of Labour by just four votes. The painstakingly close race proved Reform UK’s threat in the traditionally Labour stronghold.
A dramatic moment came when Reform UK leader Nigel Farage claimed he was “confident” his party had won – before it was officially announced. Many at the DCBL Stadium Widnes, where the Runcorn votes were being counted, had no clue what was going on for large parts of the night. And officials were forced to rapidly recount every single ballot.
The Runcorn by-election was triggered when disgraced MP Mike Amesbury quit after punching a constituent in a late-night brawl on the street.
2. Labour gets two quick victories
Labour achieved two victories in quick succession just before 5am.
Keir Starmer’s party won the West of England Combined Authority mayoral race. The party’s candidate Helen Godwin won 51,197 votes. Reform UK’s candidate Arron Banks, who founded the Leave EU campaign and was formerly one of UKIP’s largest donors, came second with 45,252.
Labour also clung onto the Doncaster mayoral seat. Ros Jones said she was “delighted” after holding onto the seat, winning 23,805 votes. She was first elected as Mayor in May 2013 and was re-elected in 2017 and 2021, and has been serving her third term. It was another incredibly tight race, with Reform UK’s Alexander Jones coming fewer than 700 votes behind her with 23,107.
3.. Re-elected Labour mayor attacks Keir Starmer
Moments after being re-elected as Labour’s Doncaster Mayor, Ros Jones came out punching for Keir Starmer over policies taken by central government.
The politician, who has served three terms as mayor of the area, saw her majority be reduced to fewer than 700 votes – with Reform UK closely on her heels. She called out the PM for cutting the winter fuel allowance for pensioners, raising national insurance for employers and restricting the eligibility of disability benefits – Personal Independence Payments (PIP).
“I think national government needs to look and see what people are saying,” she said. “I wrote as soon as the winter fuel allowance was actually mooted, I said it was wrong and therefore I stepped in immediately and used out household support fund to make sure no one in Doncaster went cold over the winter.
“I think the results here tonight demonstrate that they need to be listening to the man, woman and businesses on the street and actually deliver for the people, with the people.”
Asked if the PM has been listening to people, Ms Jones added: “On certainly two or three occasions, I would say no they haven’t actually realised because people in Doncaster know how life can be… They need to look again because actually putting up the cost of national insurance is hitting some of our business. And of course, PIP, which we know many people are worried about.”
4. Tense TV clash between Labour and Tories
In a tense TV clash, Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson was left fuming at a Tory MP as she accused him of being “always so hostile”.
The Cabinet Minister told Richard Holden to “take it down a notch” after he tried to repeatedly attack and interrupt her on a BBC panel for the local elections. The Tory MP tried to rip apart Labour’s first nine months in power, which included slinging personal insults about Ms Phillipson’s time in office.
The pair repeatedly attacked each other, as other people on the panel sat in silence watching. Mr Holden repeatedly interrupted Ms Phillipson, which led to her at eventually hit back: “If I could just occasionally get a word in edgeways, Richard, you left a terrible mess behind you and from everything that you’ve said this evening, not an ounce of understanding.”
READ MORE: Excruciating BBC clash as ‘hostile’ Tory MP slammed by fuming Bridget Phillipson
5. Early win for Labour in mayoral races
The result of the North Tyneside result at just gone 2am was a significant moment, being the first major result of the night. Labour were victorious in the seat, but its majority was significantly reduced to just 444.
There was a dramatic lead up to the result being announced. Political geeks staying up to follow local elections through the night were on the edge of their seats when reports of vote recounts started swirling. It had been thought that Labour would win it outright so needing to recount any votes showed just how tight the race was.
In the end, Labour’s Karen Clark won 30.2% of the vote, followed by Reform’s John Falkenstein’s 29.4%. Labour celebrated the result, adding that while it was defending the seat, the area had not always been held by the party.
A Labour source said: “This was far from a given, the incumbent didn’t stand, and this area voted for a Conservative mayor in three separate elections under the last Labour government.”
6. Reform gains dozens of councillors
Away from mayoral and by-election results, Reform UK has been making gains on Northumberland County Council. Elsewhere Mr Farage’s party has been making ground in Staffordshire. The council’s Tory leader was among those to lose their seat to Reform UK.
Overnight, Tory MP Kevin Hollinrake said the results are “very disappointing”. He said the Conservatives have some “fantastic” councillors and candidates around the country and said it is “a really sad day when they lose their seats”.
At around 6am in the morning, Reform had an overall gain of 57 councillors, while the Tories had an overall loss of 40 and Labour a loss of 13.
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