There is a frenzied atmosphere at the DCBL Stadium, in Widnes, this morning where counting has been taking place for the Runcorn and Helsby Parliamentary by-election
A dramatic recount is underway as Labour and Reform are neck and neck in the Runcorn by-election. Counting has been taking place at the DCBL Stadium in Widnes this morning for the Runcorn and Helsby Parliamentary by-election, where witnesses report a frenzied atmosphere as the tally is retaken.
The seat was always going to be a close race between Keir Starmer’s Labour Party and Nigel Farage’s Reform UK, but it’s been so close that officials have had to hold a full recount of votes. This is reserved for the tightest of electoral results, suggesting that the winner could be crowned by just a small number of votes. According to the Liverpool ECHO, there was just a handful of votes between the two parties. Some have reported that the race could be as close as just four votes.
Manchester Evening News’ Joseph Tinman has posted a video showing officials racing through ballots as they recount each vote again.
Nigel Farage took to Twitter to claim the seat for his party, saying that Reform secured the seat with just four votes. He said: “Reform UK have won the Runcorn & Helsby by-election by 4 votes! Labour have demanded a recount. We are very confident we have won.” His claims won’t be verified until the final count is in.
According to reports, there has been a relatively high turnout for the Runcorn and Helsby at 46 per cent – which is decent for a by-election. It’s 13 per cent lower than the amount of people who showed up for the general election, when turnout was pretty low anyway.
Polling experts throughout the campaign have said one of the top themes of this year’s local elections is “disillusionment”.
A frenetic few hours saw confusion reign in Widnes as many people at the count appeared unsure of what was happening. Reporters were told that Reform UK leader Nigel Farage was set to arrive at one point but he did not appear.
Eventually it was confirmed that the race was incredibly close and calls for a recount were granted meaning every vote will be counted again to find a winner of this thrilling contest.
In a final message to voters ahead of the polls opening at 7am, Labour chairwoman Ellie Reeves insisted the Government’s plan was “already starting to deliver”. She said: “As voters head to the polls today, there’s a clear choice between Labour with a plan for change to deliver the security working people deserve and renewal for our country, or more of the same chaos voters rejected last year with the Tories and Reform.”
Meanwhile, Reform leader Nigel Farage told a rally in Staffordshire on Wednesday night that the elections would see his party eclipse the Conservatives as the main opposition party in England. Predicting a political “earthquake”, he said: “Tomorrow is the day that two-party politics in England dies for good.”
Labour has sought to cast Thursday’s contest as a test not for Mr Starmer but for Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch, with Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner saying the elections were “predominantly… the Tories trying to retain seats that are in the shires”.
