Results for the local elections 2025 – including the Runcorn and Helsby by-election – have been pouring out overnight. Keep up to date with results using our searchable widget
Nigel Farage’s Reform UK dealt major blows to Labour and the Tories in a dramatic night of local elections results.
During a dramatic night of counts in local sports and community centres, Reform UK won dozens of seats, mostly from the Conservative party. The Runcorn and Helsby by-election result – one of the most hotly anticipated results of the night – is still to come. And hundreds of councillors seats are still to be announced.
The Runcorn vote, which was triggered when disgraced MP Mike Amesbury quit after punching a constituent in a late-night brawl, is the first by-election of Keir Starmer’s government. It marks the PM’s first test since he stormed to victory in last year’s general election.
Keep up to date with results still being announced with our live blog. Search your area with the widget below.
But the race in the traditionally Labour seat is down to a knife edge. A 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.
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage took to X/Twitter he was “confident” his party had won – before it was officially announced. But other politicians – including Cabinet minister Peter Kyle – hit out at him for jumping the gun before the official announcement.
READ MORE: Local elections 2025 LIVE: Runcorn by-election result expected imminently
During the night, Labour clung onto a series of mayoral seats. It won the mayoral contests in Doncaster, West of England and North Tyneside.
In Doncaster, Ros Jones kept hold of the seat, winning 23,805 votes. She won by fewer than 700 votes, with Reform UK’s Alexander Jones coming in second with 23,107.
Labour also 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.
Mr Starmer’s party also clung onto the North Tyneside mayoral seat, but its majority was reduced to just 444 votes. Labour’s Karen Clark won 30.2% of the vote, followed by Reform’s John Falkenstein’s 29.4%.
Away from the mayoral 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”.
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