Nigel Farage has launched a "Doge-style" rescue plan for councils across England after Reform UK scooped up hundreds of council seats in a momentous electoral victory.
The populist party has now pledged to kickstart the rescue plan to slash council waste - inspired by an initiative developed by tech tycoon Elon Musk.
The billionaire's streamlining body Department of Government Efficiency - nicknamed Doge - has inspired Farage to create mini-Doge departments in England's newly-Reform county councils.
"I think every county needs a Doge," Farage told the BBC.
He added: "I think local government has gone under the radar for too long.
"We’ve seen the high-profile cases of Croydon, of Thurrock where they’ve gone bankrupt, Birmingham indeed where they’ve gone bankrupt."
So far today, Reform UK has swept up two new mayors and more than 600 councillors across England - and counting.
LOCAL ELECTIONS ROUND UP: Here's what you've missed so far
Reform
- Staffordshire, Derbyshire, Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire, Lancashire, Kent GAIN from Conservative
- Durham GAIN from Labour
Liberal Democrats
- Oxfordshire GAIN from No Overall Control
- Cambridgeshire GAIN from No Overall Control
- Shropshire GAIN from Conservative
Conservatives
- Staffordshire, Derbyshire, Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire, Lancashire, Kent LOSS to Reform
Labour
- Doncaster council HOLD
Cornwall, Northumberland, Leicestershire, Warwickshire, Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, Worcestershire, Hertfordshire, Devon and Cornwall have no overall majorities.
MAYORAL ELECTIONS: All six mayoralties have now been declared
Labour
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Reform storms to majority victory as Farage's party snaps up Doncaster council from Labour
Reform UK has gained Doncaster Council from Labour, with 37 of the council's 55 seats declared so far.
The populist party will now enjoy 29 councillors sitting on the local authority, while Labour suffered a devastating blow as Starmer's party lost 21 seats so far.
'Two-party politics has just died in front of our eyes!' Nigel Farage declares 'apocalypse' for Tories after Reform UK's election success
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has declared a "Tory apocalypse" in a dramatic statement to GB News following his party's breakthrough in the 2025 local elections.
Reform secured a parliamentary seat, a regional mayoralty and hundreds of council seats across England in what Farage described as an "apocalypse" for the Conservative Party.
Reform UK narrowly won the Runcorn and Helsby parliamentary by-election by just six votes, overturning a Labour majority of nearly 14,700 from last year's general election.
Lib Dems on track to sprint past Tories at next General Election
The Liberal Democrats are on track to sprint past the Tories at the next General Election, Sir Ed Davey has said.
With Oxfordshire and Cambridgeshire county councils under the Lib Dem's belt - soon to be joined by Shropshire - the Tories will control fewer councils than Davey's party.
The party has also become the largest party in Devon, Gloucestershire, Hertfordshire and Wiltshire.
As the election results continue to flow, Davey said: "We have overtaken the Conservatives at these local elections, putting us on track to overtake them at the next General Election too.
"From Wiltshire to Oxfordshire, from Shropshire to Devon, the Liberal Democrats have replaced the Conservatives as the party of Middle England.
"Lifelong Conservative voters have put their faith in the Liberal Democrats because they are appalled by the Conservatives lurching to the extremes and cosying up to Nigel Farage.
"Kemi Badenoch sneered at the Liberal Democrats for being the party that will fix your church roof. Today voters across the country have chosen our community politics over the Conservative Party’s neglect and disdain."
Lib Dems WIN Oxfordshire and Cambridgeshire county councils after deputy party leader promised 'big gains'
The Liberal Democrats have won Oxfordshire and Cambridgeshire county councils which were previously under no overall control.
Ed Davey's party won 31 seats, with the Reform and Tories neck-and-neck on 10.
BREAKING: Ex-Olympic boxer Luke Campbell 'to seal Reform’s second mayoral win' after trumping Labour, Tories and Lib Dems in Hull
Ex-Olympic gold medallist boxer Luke Campbell has been tipped to emerge victorious in Hull & East Yorkshire’s mayoral contest, handing Reform UK yet another seismic win after Dame Andrea Jenkyns topped Lincolnshire's poll on the other side of the Humber.
Campbell, 37, who joins a star-studded list of Reform UK candidates, looks poised to win Nigel Farage’s second mayoral win after a tough fought campaign against both Labour and the Liberal Democrats.
The local lad received 29,907 votes in East Yorkshire, putting him 9,566 ballots ahead of Liberal Democrat Mike Ross in second.
Richard Tice vows Reform UK councillors will adopt 'SAS style skills' after electoral breakthrough
Reform UK Deputy Leader Richard Tice has announced plans to adopt an "SAS-style approach" to councils following the party's significant electoral breakthrough.
The comments come as Reform UK has secured control of several councils in the local elections so far.
Wiltshire no longer Conservative majority whilst Lib Dems make big gains
The Tories have lost control of Wiltshire, and no party will achieve a majority of seats, it has just emerged.
The Conservatives have lost 20 seats and are now on 30, whilst the Liberal Democrats went from 23 to 35.
Liberal Democrats are the 'party of middle England', Sir Ed Davey says
Sir Ed Davey has said the Liberal Democrats are now the “party of middle England”.
“We are the party of middle England now, and I’m really proud of what our councillors have achieved and what they’re going to achieve as they work hard for their local communities,” the Lib Dem leader told Sky News.
When he was asked if Reform UK were taking seats from the Conservatives that otherwise might have been claimed by the Lib Dems, he replied: "I’m expecting that we will take control of one or more councils from the Conservatives when all the votes are counted.
"I’m not going to predict ... but I can say that we’re really confident."
Council staff working on diversity or climate change initiatives issued warning by Farage
Nigel Farage said council staff working on diversity or climate change initiatives should be 'seeking alternative careers' after Reform took control of Durham council.
The Reform leader said: “I would advise anybody who’s working for Durham county council on climate change initiatives or Diversity, Equity and Inclusion or ... things that you go on working from home, I think you all better really be seeking alternative careers very, very quickly.
“We want to give council taxpayers better value for money. We want to reduce excessive expenditure.
“We want to find out who the long-term contracts are signed with and why, and reduce the scale of local government back to what it ought to be.”
Farage applauds county council wins as 'marking end of two party politics'
Nigel Farage during a visit to The Big Club in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham
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Reform leader Nigel Farage says that "today marks the end of two party politics", as his party's county councils continue to rapidly rise.
Speaking in Durham - a council his party has just taken control over - the Clacton MP said: "Keir Starmer's party has moved far away - we are now the party of the working man and woman."
"This marks the end of two party politics as we've known it for over a century - it is over, it is finished it is gone," he says, before hitting out at the Tories, who he says "have been wiped out".
"If you vote Reform, you get Reform," he says to more celebratory cheers.
Addressing supporters, Farage says: "You have cleared a very important hurdle today and next year we will clear them in the Welsh and Scottish parliaments.
"I believe we will win the next election."
Tories lose Leicestershire but Reform fails to gain overall control by three seats
The Conservatives have lost control of Leicestershire county council.
Reform UK has won 25 seats on the council, followed by the Conservatives on 15 and the Liberal Democrats 11.
Labour won two, Green one and an independent candidate won one.
However, Nigel Farage’s party fell three seats short of the 28 seats required for a majority, so no party has overall control.
Conservatives BLEED seats as Badenoch's party fumbles county councils
The Conservatives are suffering yet another significant electoral blow today as both Warwickshire and Worcestershire are lost to no overall control.
While Kemi Badenoch continues to fumble council control across England, Lancashire County Council has now swung over to Reform UK.
Kent County Council swings to Reform rule ending almost 30-year-long rule in true blue Toryland
Kent County Council has swung to Reform UK, ending an almost 30-year-long rule in what was once the very heartland of the Conservative Party.
Ahead of the vote count, GB News spoke to activists on the ground - some of whom predicted Farage's party to come in swinging across the coastal county.
Reform UK pries Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire county councils from Tory rule - for the first time in a DECADE
The Conservatives have lost control of Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire county councils.
Lancashire is also expected to swing to Reform from the Tories.
WATCH: Reform UK councillor Darren Grimes hopes to be the 'antidote' to Labour's 'betrayal'
Newly elected Reform UK Councillor Darren Grimes outlines his party's plans to deliver change "in a genuine way".
Speaking to GB News following his election victory, Grimes said: "The Labour Party said with a smile on their faces that if you elect them, you'd get change. Well what change?
"We had mass migration, we're now putting in illegal migrants in rented accommodation whilst you struggle to get a house and the net zero obsession putting up energy bills to some of the highest in the Western world, I think it's a damn disgrace."
Conservatives keep grasp on Cambridgeshire mayoralty
The Conservatives have managed to keep a hold of its Cambridgeshire and Peterborough mayoralty as Paul Bristow wins the race.
While Bristow took home 28.4 per cent of the vote, Reform's Ryan Coogan came second with 23.4 per cent of the vote.
Tories lose overall control in former heartland as Reform and Lib Dems conquer seats
Devon has fallen out of the Conservatives' control as Reform UK and the Liberal Democrats continue to conquer seats across the south west.
The county council still has three seats left to be declared.
First Kent council seats declared as Reform off to a radiant start on coastal county
Counting in Kent is underway as Reform sweeps up seven of the eight council seats declared so far in the coastal county.
Reform has swiped seats from the left and the right from the formerly Conservative-run county council.
Badenoch delivers message to supporters as she vows to 'win back public's trust and seats lost'
Tory leader Kemi Badenoch has delivered a message to her party, promising to build the Conservative Party back up.
Taking to social media, she wrote: "My utmost thanks to every Conservative councillor and activist who helped get out our vote yesterday.
"Congratulations to those who have won their seats and my sincerest commiserations to those who have lost today.
"These were always going to be a very difficult set of elections coming off the high of 2021, and our historic defeat last year - and so it’s proving. The renewal of our party has only just begun and I’m determined to win back the trust of the public and the seats we’ve lost, in the years to come."
WATCH: Ex-Reform UK candidate blasts Labour's 'blatant lying' after election victory
Former Reform UK candidate Mark Hoath has hailed a "fantastic night" for Nigel Farage's party, claiming that voters in Britain are "turning their backs" on Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.
Just six votes separated Reform UK and Labour as Sarah Pochin was elected to Parliament in the Runcorn & Helsby by-election - making her the party's first female MP.
Lib Dems lambast Tories for 'shameful record' as deputy leader looks towards 'big gains'
The Liberal Democrat deputy leader has claimed that her party is "on course for big gains" across England as votes continue to be totted up.
Daisy Cooper MP said: "The Liberal Democrats are on course for big gains in places like Shropshire, Devon and Oxfordshire, showing we have replaced the Conservatives as the party of Middle England.
"People have not forgiven the Conservatives for their shameful record but are disappointed that the Labour Government has failed to deliver the change they promised.
"As the Conservatives lurch ever to the right, now is not the time for the Labour government to join them in playing to Nigel Farage’s tune. The Liberal Democrats will speak out for all those who want to see better public services, a tougher approach to Donald Trump and a closer relationship with Europe."
Reform tsunami continues as Nigel Farage net wins soar past 100 after Runcorn victory
Reform UK has hit a major milestone - reaching 100 councillors in a major milestone for Nigel Farage's party after its monumental by-election victory over Labour in Runcorn.
Meanwhile, the Tories have been left in a more beleaguered state, losing 81 council seats so far.
Labour has held onto even fewer seats (15) while the Liberal Democrats have increased their share to 15.
Reform just INCHES away from Staffordshire success as seats turn turquoise
Nigel Farage's party has kept up momentum all night as council results continue to come flooding in.
Now, Reform UK has turned its hopeful gaze on Staffordshire as the previously Conservative county turns turquoise.
Most recently, East Staffordshire's Burton South Division went to the populist party with more than a thousand votes, with the Conservatives (551) and Labour (423) trailing behind.
A further 24 of the 30 seats across the region have also been snapped up by Reform as the nation awaits votes to be counted across 32 more seats.
Farage's party is inching away from success with eight more seats needed to take overall control.
WATCH NOW: Labour chair grilled on Reform UK victory as Nigel Farage claims Runcorn win by SIX votes
Labour's chair Ellie Reeves has been grilled by GB News host Stephen Dixon on the party's local election defeat, as Nigel Farage's Reform UK secured victory with just six votes between them.
Becoming Reform UK's first-ever female MP, Sarah Pochin claimed the Runcorn & Helsby seat from the Labour candidate - overturning a 14,696 majority.
Following her victory, Pochin declared that "the people of Runcorn have spoken, and "enough is enough".
Labour MP: 'Cutting benefits and scrapping winter fuel payments made voters abandon us'
Labour’s devastating by-election defeat was down to Keir Starmer's winter fuel and welfare cuts, one of its MPs has declared.
MP for Nottingham East Nadia Whittome said: "Cutting disability benefits and scrapping the Winter Fuel Allowance made voters abandon us.
"The leadership needs to end its obsession with chasing the far-right on immigration, which only bolsters Reform. Instead, we must tackle the real causes of falling living standards and broken public services like austerity, de-industrialisation, and climate vandalism.
"Tax the super-rich and multinational corporations. Scrap the disability benefit cuts and the two child limit. End austerity. Put money in people’s pockets. Work together to build a fairer, healthier, and more equal society. This is the programme we need."
Starmer tells GB News by-election blow was 'disappointing' and vows to deliver change 'further and faster'
Labour’s devastating defeat in last night's Runcorn and Helsby by-election was "disappointing", the PM told GB News.
He added that the Government is determined to go “further and faster” in delivering change.
WATCH: Lib Dems still 'pretty hopeful' for 'significant gains' in local elections after double Reform victory
Deputy leader of the Liberal Democrats, Daisy Cooper MP, is hopeful that her party can make some 'significant' gains in the recent local elections.
Speaking to GB News, Cooper said: "We'll be looking very closely for some of the results that we are looking forward to.
"I think in places like Shropshire, in places like Oxfordshire and Devon as well, we are pretty hopeful that we can make some significant gains, particularly against the conservatives, and that we may be able to replace the conservatives as a larger party in local government and become the voice for Middle England."
First Durham seat FLIPPED to Reform - with still a way to go
The first seat in Durham County Council has been flipped to Labou
The first Durham County Council result sees Reform win with 36% of the vote, taking it from Labour.
Nigel Farage's claim that County Durham could follow Northumberland in electing a string of Reform councillors could have some validity.
WATCH: Conservatives will take election beating 'with humility', senior Tory MP claims
Conservative MP Nigel Huddleston reacts to Reform UK's victory in the Runcorn and Helsby by-election.
Speaking to GB News, Huddleston said: "These elections are about council elections, about what the council can do and the mayoral elections, about what the mayor can do. And it's really important that we focus on the remit that's appropriate.
"But understandably, people voted for a whole host of other reasons. I completely get that. And I say, believe me, we are still learning the lessons of last year's election.
"We will take this beating with humility, as we did last year's election, because we do need to show the public that we understand and we are still in the process of renewal. We're under new leadership, but we've got a long way to go."
Nigel Farage declares Reform 'main opposition' to Labour after shower of electoral success swinging blows left and right
Nigel Farage has declared that Reform has become the "main opposition party" to Starmer's Government after the party received a shower of electoral success overnight.
The Clacton MP said that they "dug very deep into the Labour vote" in the Cheshire constituency and have "dug very deep into the Conservative vote” in across other regions in England.
Farage said: “It’s been a big night for us.
“We’ve dug very deep into the Labour vote and, in other parts of England, we’ve dug deep into the Conservative vote, and we are now, after tonight there’s no question, in most of the country, we are now the main opposition party to this Government.”
Top Tory looks towards 'working with' Reform mayor as she congratulates newly-elected Andrea Jenkyns
A senior Tory MP has congratulated the newly-elected Andrea Jenkyns, adding that she was "looking forward to working with" the Reform mayor.
Esther McVey, one of the MPs across Cheshire, took to X to congratulate the Tory defector on her latest win, saying: "Congratulations to my new constituency neighbour @SarahforRuncorn on her dramatic by-election victory.
"I look forward to working with her for the benefit of the people of Cheshire."
Her congratulatory praise has come amid swirling speculation of a Reform-Tory pact, which both sides have adamantly refuted in the past.
'Not good enough!' Labour MP slams own party after devastating defeat in Runcorn
A Labour MP has taken aim at his own party, insisting that it "must change course" after its devastating in defeat in this morning's by-election.
Taking to X, Alloa and Grangemouth MP Brian Leishman said: "Runcorn shows Labour must change course.
"People voted for real change last July & an end to austerity.
"The first 10 months haven’t been good enough or what the people want & if we don’t improve people’s living standards then the next government will be an extreme right wing one."
Reform UK's mission is to 'elect Nigel Farage as Prime Minister', Zia Yusuf declares
Reform UK Chairman Zia Yusuf has hailed Nigel Farage's party after securing double election victory in Runcorn & Helsby and Greater Lincolnshire.
Just six votes separated Reform UK and Labour as Sarah Pochin was elected to Parliament in the Runcorn & Helsby by-election - making her the first female Reform MP.
Labour bigwig bats off damning accusation that Keir Starmer FAILED to take Runcorn & Helsby seat 'seriously enough'
Labour Party chair Ellie Reeves has shrugged off a damning accusation that the Prime Minister failed to take the Runcorn & Helsby seat "seriously enough".
When grilled on whether Keir Starmer should have taken the seat more "seriously", she said: “That’s not right at all.
“He’s been getting on with… running the country, taking those important decisions that were needed, and it isn’t normal for a Prime Minister to campaign in a by-election.”
“Prime Ministers don’t normally campaign in by-elections. The Prime Minister has been getting on with running the country - for example saving British Steel, visiting Jaguar Land Rover, representing the UK at the Pope’s funeral,” she told Sky News.
Reform to launch 'fightback to save heart and soul' of Britain as Nigel Farage sweeps up council seats across nation
Reform UK is due to use its latest electoral victory to springboard its "fightback to save the heart and soul" of nation.
Newly-elected Greater Lincolnshire mayor Andrea Jenkyns vowed her party would bring "an end to soft touch Britain" after Reform's gains in the polls.
She said: "The fightback to save the heart and soul of our great country has now begun.
"Now that Reform is in a place of power, we can help start rebuilding Britain. Inch by inch, Reform will reset Britain to its glorious past.
"We will tackle illegal migration. We’ve been working on policies.
"I say no to putting people in hotels. Tents are good enough for France, they should be good enough for here in Britain.”
WATCH: Reform’s Andrea Jenkyns comes out swinging in victory speech with South Africa jibe
Dame Andrea Jenkyns has secured victory for Reform UK after winning the Mayoral election in Greater Lincolnshire.
In her victory speech, Jenkyns took aim at the "soul destroying" campaigns made against her, and the "two-tier system" that has currently "broken Britain".
A dramatic night comes to a close as Dame Andrea Jenkyns seizes victory in Greater Lincolnshire
Reform UK's Dame Andrea Jenkyns has finally won the Greater Lincolnshire mayoralty
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Reform UK's Dame Andrea Jenkyns has finally won the Greater Lincolnshire mayoralty after a night of false starts, fire alarms and early declarations.
Jenkyns, the former Tory minister, revealed just before 6am: "Despite reports, Lincolnshire still has not been declared yet. There is a recount in North Lincolnshire, lots of bundles of votes were found, and a fire alarm went off."
But an hour later, she was confirmed to have won - and unleashed a volley of attacks at her campaign opponents as she did so.
Jenkyns rallied against her former party as she spat: "I have fought many elections: Four general elections, my third local election, but - I'm going to be brief with this, don't worry - I've never experienced such negativity and soul-destroying campaigns against me like this one. It was soul-destroying. The dirty tricks in US politics, I now believe, is being imported into Britain.
"The Conservatives called the police on me and implied I slept with political friends.
"They contacted the mainstream media to smear me. The independent's husband pushed for a hearing at the council, my barrister had to represent me. The case was dismissed.
"They said I was parachuted in... Ironic, from someone with a South African accent."
Northumberland Council becomes first local authority to declare election results in full
Northumberland County Council has become the first authority to have declared its results - but no party has secured an outright majority.
With 65 of 69 seats having been declared, the Conservatives have come out on top with 25.
Reform UK have secured 22 seats so far, with Labour on 8, independent candidates on 6, the Lib Dems on 3 and a single Green.
That leaves Northumberland without a majority - and with Kemi Badenoch having opened the door to Reform-Tory coalitions at a local level, a pact could now beckon.
PICTURED: Nigel Farage incredulous as Labour hit for six in Runcorn
Nigel Farage holds up six digits - one for every vote which secured Sarah Pochin's seat in the Commons
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PICTURED: Reform UK's new parliamentary five
Reform is back to five: Nigel Farage, James McMurdock, Sarah Pochin, Lee Anderson and Richard Tice
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Following Sarah Pochin's election in Labour heartland Runcorn & Helsby, Reform UK once again have five MPs.
In early March, Great Yarmouth MP Rupert Lowe was suspended by the party - setting it back to level pegging with the Greens in the Commons.
Now, Reform is back to five: Nigel Farage, James McMurdock, Sarah Pochin, Lee Anderson and Richard Tice.
Labour admits 'by-elections are difficult' as Keir Starmer's party tries to deflect criticism to Tories
A Labour spokesman said: "By-elections are always difficult for the party in government and the events which led to this one being called made it even harder.
"Voters are still rightly furious with the state of the country after 14 years of failure and clearly expect the Government to move faster with the Plan for Change.
"While Labour has suffered an extremely narrow defeat, the shock is that the Conservative vote has collapsed. Moderate voters are clearly appalled by the talk of a Tory-Reform pact.
"There are encouraging signs that our Plan for Change is working - NHS waiting lists, inflation and interest rates down with wages up - but we will go further and faster to deliver change with relentless focus on putting money back into people's pockets."
SIX VOTES separate Reform UK and Labour as Sarah Pochin elected to Parliament
Just six votes separated Reform UK and Labour as Sarah Pochin was elected to Parliament in the Runcorn & Helsby by-election.
Pochin, who praised the "inspiring" Nigel Farage and Zia Yusuf for their support, took home 12,645 votes after a recount.
Labour's challenger Karen Shore took back 12,639 - just six fewer than Reform.
"It will be an honour and privilege to serve this community... of hardworking people who just want fairness," Pochin vowed.
"I am in politics to serve, because I care, and to be a voice for those who need representation."
'Doubtful' ballots being reviewed in Runcorn & Helsby
A number of "doubtful" ballots are being reviewed in Runcorn & Helsby - where Reform UK says it has won a crucial by-election.
One Reform source tells Sky News that the numbers have moved "slightly" - but the party still believes it has won.
Another narrow Labour win in just minutes as Jones beats Jones to take Doncaster mayoralty
Labour has narrowly beaten Reform UK to retain the Doncaster mayoralty - with incumbent Ros Jones edging out Reform's challenger Alexander Jones just minutes after a similar result in the West of England.
Ros Jones's 23,805 votes were enough to propel her over the finish line - with Reform narrowly behind on 23,107. Tory challenger Nick Fletcher was the only other candidate to take back more than 2,500 votes with 18,982.
Labour narrowly beats out Reform to win West of England mayoralty
Labour's Helen Godwin has won the race to be the Mayor of the West of England - beating out the Greens in one of their traditional strongholds, as well as Reform UK's Arron Banks.
In total, Labour received 51,197 votes, Reform 45,252, the Greens 41,094, the Conservatives 34,092, the Liberal Democrats 28,711, and an independent candidate 4,682.
Earlier, a Labour source had said: "The West of England is incredibly tight between us and Reform... We have to hope Bristol pull us over."
Reform UK passes 50-councillor mark as Arron Banks reveals party doing 'better than expected'
Reform UK has returned 52 councillors so far this morning - more than double the second-placed Tories on 24.
Labour has seen just five councillors elected - alongside the Mayor of North Tyneside.
It comes as Nigel Farage's West of England mayoral candidate Arron Banks has said Reform is performing "better than expected".
"It reflects what is going on right across the country," he said. "There's a wider feeling of discontent with both major parties and a breakdown of two-party politics."
He told the BBC that he joked to Green rival Mary Page they were "kind of the rebel alliance".
Runcorn by-election poised to be closest in HISTORY
The Runcorn & Helsby by-election is poised to be the closest of its kind in history.
With just four votes said to be separating Labour and Reform UK, the result would place it far beyond the current closest margin ever - the 1973 Berwick-upon-Tweed by-election, which the Liberals won by 57 votes.
Local elections state of play: What do we know about Northumberland and Staffordshire?
It has now been more than six hours since polls closed across the country.
Results from a set of council by-elections are trickling in - as are initial council results from Northumberland and Staffordshire.
In both counties, Reform UK is leading.
Nigel Farage's party will require 35 seats to gain control of Northumberland County Council. As it stands, they have taken 19.
The Tories are in second place, with 11 seats to their name - while Labour has five, and three have gone to independent candidates.
In Staffordshire, 32 seats are needed to take control.
As things stand, Reform UK is on 21 and the Tories have six.
'FOUR votes in it!' Runcorn on incredible knife-edge as full recount looms
The Runcorn & Helsby by-election has come down to just four votes, GB News' North West reporter Sophie Reaper says.
There will now be a recount to decide who succeeds "sucker-punch MP" Mike Amesbury in the Cheshire seat.
Arron Banks 'very pleased' as West of England mayoral race inches forward
Reform UK's West of England mayoral candidate Arron Banks has said he was "very pleased" after taking a look at the ballot papers around the hall in Yate, Gloucestershire.
"I think it's going to be a very tight race this evening and I think at this stage anyone could win," Banks told the BBC.
"I think the key for the result this evening will be if the Tory voters back me rather than anyone else and I think there's still reason to be optimistic. To even be in the race is an achievement in itself."
Recount looms in Runcorn as crunch by-election 'within 100 votes'
A recount now looks to be looming in Runcorn & Helsby - where the outcome of May 1's by-election is reportedly set to come down to the wire.
A source in the room tells GB News that the outcome of the crunch poll is "within 100 votes".
Live footage from the scene shows Reform UK chairman Zia Yusuf pacing up and down the room - and his candidate Sarah Pochin, Labour's challenger Karen Shore, and party leader Nigel Farage are all still yet to arrive.
Labour holds North Tyneside by skin of its teeth as 40,000 General Election majority COLLAPSES
Labour has held onto its North Tyneside mayoralty by just a few hundred votes - despite the party enjoying a 40,000-strong majority over Reform UK in the seat at the 2024 General Election.
Sir Keir Starmer's party - represented by candidate Karen Clark - has clung onto the seat by just 444 votes after enduring a 26 per cent swing to Reform.
Clark received 16,230 votes, Reform's John Falkenstein took in 15,786 votes, and the Tories' Liam Bones received 11,017.
But a Labour source downplayed the vote collapse - and told GB News: "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."
Richard Tice: 'There's no doubt in my mind Andrea Jenkyns has convincingly won Greater Lincolnshire'
Richard Tice says Andrea Jenkyns will win Greater Lincolnshire mayoralty ‘hands down’
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Reform UK's deputy leader Richard Tice has called the Greater Lincolnshire mayoral election for Dame Andrea Jenkyns.
Tice told Sky News just now that there was "no doubt in my mind" that Jenkyns has "won this race in Lincolnshire".
"We are parking the Reform tanks on the traditional Tory lawns of Lincolnshire," he said. "I'm absolutely confident that Andrea Jenkyns has convincingly won the mayoral.
"Things are looking increasingly good on the county council results."
JUST IN: Runcorn & Helsby by-election result expected soon; Reform UK unseats Tory council LEADER in Staffordshire
The result of the by-election in Runcorn & Helsby is expected shortly - with Reform UK and Labour battling it out to take the seat vacated by disgraced "sucker-punch MP" Mike Amesbury.
It comes as Staffordshire County Council leader Alan White has lost his seat to Reform's Tracey Dougherty - a major scalp for Nigel Farage's party.
Jacob Rees-Mogg tips Tories and Labour for 'worst results in HISTORY'
Jacob Rees-Mogg has predicted that today's local elections could see "potentially the worst national share of the result for the two main parties in political history".
Speaking on GB News, the ex-Conservative Minister suggested voters are delivering "a plague on all your houses" to both Labour and the Conservatives.
And he forecast that the results could be "potentially worse than the last general election, which was very low"...
Labour beats out Reform UK in Northumberland ward by just SIX votes
Labour has beaten Reform UK to a seat on Northumberland County Council by just six votes.
In its first victory of the night, Sir Keir Starmer's party has taken the Ashington Central ward with 463 votes - with Nigel Farage's Reform behind on 457.
Brexit row erupts as Jacob Rees-Mogg gives sarcastic response to Labour MP’s Nigel Farage claim: ‘Quite a big achievement’
As Reform eyes up major gains in the local elections, Labour MP Catherine Atkinson said that while Nigel Farage has a proven track record of winning votes, he has little to show for it.
But former Tory MP Jacob Rees-Mogg contested her claim, and vowed Brexit would not have happened without the influence of the Reform UK leader.
And then, GB News' Deputy Political Editor Tom Harwood put it to Atkinson that her party leader Keir Starmer not campaigning in Runcorn and Helsby was an “unusual” move given it is the first by-election of his term...
Nigel Farage's Red Wall 'demolition job' begins - top pollster
Luke Tryl, director of polling company More In Common, said in response to the Hartlepool council by-election result: "Ironic the first result is a Reform by-election win in Hartlepool on a big swing.
"The last time this set of council elections were contested, Boris Johnson's Conservatives gained the Hartlepool Parliamentary seat in a by-election - seemingly signalling their Red wall dominance."
It comes following insiders' predictions that Keir Starmer's attempts to thwart Nigel Farage's Red Wall "demolition job" are "doomed to fail"...
READ THE FULL STORY ON LABOUR AND REFORM'S RED WALL WAR HERE
SECOND RESULT: Reform UK flips ANOTHER Labour seat
The second result of the night is in - another by-election - and Reform UK has flipped another Labour seat turquoise, this time in Essex.
Mark Hall in Harlow saw Labour's vote share plummet by nearly 20 per cent, with Nigel Farage's party surging to first place with 32.1 per cent.
Thousands more seats are still yet to be declared - but you can follow our live blog for all the top lines as they happen.
WATCH: Reform UK’s Zia Yusuf says Labour-Tory stranglehold will be ‘decisively broken’
Reform UK chairman Zia Yusuf spoke to GB News from Cheshire this evening - where counting is underway for the Runcorn & Helsby by-election.
You can watch his interview - in which he vowed the Labour-Tory stranglehold will be "decisively broken" - with Political Editor Christopher Hope here.
FIRST RESULT: Reform UK turfs out Labour in Hartlepool Council by-election
Reform UK has turfed out Labour in a Hartlepool Council by-election - the first result declared of the night.
Reform took in 58.3 per cent of the vote, Labour took 31.8 and the Tories 9.9.
Anti-Reform protesters gather outside Runcorn count as Nigel Farage remains optimistic ahead of by-election declaration
A small group of anti-Reform protesters have gathered outside the count for the Runcorn & Helsby by-election as Nigel Farage hopes of snatching another parliamentary seat.
Protesters, who were clutching "Stand up to Racism" banners, shouted "refugees are welcome here" and accused Reform UK of being racist.
The issue of immigration has been a cornerstone of the by-election bout, with a high number of asylum seekers being housed in the Cheshire constituency.
'They're fearful!' Nigel Farage downplays expectations as Reform UK set for historic locals push
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has seemingly downplayed his expectations as England awaits the results of the 2025 Local Elections.
In a short statement, Farage said: "Thank you for voting Reform. We have fought a strong campaign. The two major parties are more fearful of the results tonight than we are."
Ed Davey predicts Blue Wall surge as Tories brace for Middle England disaster
Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey has predicted a Blue Wall surge as the Tories brace for a tough night in Middle England.
As polls closed, Davey said: “We are expecting to see big gains against the Conservatives in their former Middle England heartlands.
“Last year the Liberal Democrats won a record number of MPs and became the largest third party in 100 years. Now we are on course for our seventh year of local election gains, making this our best ever winning streak.
“Voters have delivered their verdict on a Conservative Party that broke the country and a Labour government that is too timid to fix it.
“Every Liberal Democrat councillor elected will be a strong local champion fighting tirelessly to deliver the change that people are crying out for.”
'They should be making progress!' Tories put pressure on Labour as Kemi Badenoch faces 'difficult night'
The Tories have ramped up pressure on Sir Keir Starmer just moments after polls closed across the country.
A Conservative Party spokesman said: “Tonight will be the first real test of Keir Starmer’s Labour Government, ten months after they won an unprecedented majority at the General Election.
“The Conservatives have started on the process of renewing our party under Kemi Badenoch’s leadership. But we also have always been clear that these would be tough elections for the party - defending an incredibly high watermark from 2021 when we took two-thirds of all seats.
"If the 2024 General Election was replicated on today’s battleground, we would lose control of almost every single council.
“Labour won a historic supermajority last year in a large number of areas that are facing local elections tonight and it would be reasonable to expect a government with such a commanding presence in Westminster to make serious progress tonight. Anything less than this ought to raise serious questions about the direction Labour is taking this country, and about Keir Starmer’s own leadership.”
Labour admits 2025 Local Elections 'challenge' as polls close
As polls closed across England, Labour Party chairwoman Ellie Reeves said: “These elections were always going to be a challenge, being held largely in areas dominated by the Conservatives, often for decades. That’s why Labour candidates stood on a promise to bring change right across our country.
“There are promising signs that the Labour Government’s Plan for Change is already starting to turn around 14 years of Tory failure. NHS waiting lists have fallen consistently. Free breakfast clubs are starting to roll out in every primary school. Some 3.5 million workers got a pay rise with the minimum wage increase this month, with pensions rising thanks to Labour’s commitment to the triple lock.
“But we know people aren’t yet fully feeling the benefit and we are just as impatient for change as the rest of the country. However the results turn out this evening, this Labour Government will go further and faster in turning our country around and giving Britain the future it deserves.”
What's up for grabs? GB News breaks down the 2025 Local Elections
Map of wards being defended if all contests went ahead in the 2025 Local Elections
|ELECTIONMAPSUK
Voters across England have just 15 minutes to vote for 1,641 councillors, six mayors and one MP.
Tonight’s verdict could have an enormous impact on the country’s political landscape, with Reform UK’s Nigel Farage hoping for yet another breakthrough.
Polls will close at 10pm and declarations are expected to trickle in until tomorrow evening.
- 14 county councils: Cambridgeshire, Derbyshire, Devon, Gloucestershire, Hertfordshire, Kent, Lancashire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire and Worcestershire
- Eight unitary authorities: Buckinghamshire, Cornwall, County Durham, North Northamptonshire, Northumberland, Shropshire, West Northamptonshire and Wiltshire
- One metropolitan district: Doncaster
- Six mayoral elections: Cambridgeshire & Peterborough, Doncaster, Greater Lincolnshire, Hull & East Yorkshire. North Tyneside, and the West of England.
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