Reform UK has claimed victory in the Runcorn & Helsby by-election by a record-breakingly tight margin after being forced to wait for a full recount in the Cheshire constituency.
The party's Sarah Pochin saw off a challenge from Labour's Karen Shore by just six votes, marking the closest-fought by-election in modern political history.
The by-election, which was called after Mike Amesbury was handed a suspended sentence following a boozy bust-up in Frodsham, will come as a hammer blow to Sir Keir Starmer's depleted Labour Party.
Pochin was confirmed as Runcorn & Helsby's next MP after securing 12,645 votes, snatching Starmer's 49th-safest seat in a knife-edge contest.
Sarah Pochin saw off a challenge from Labour's Karen Shore by just six votes
REUTERS
Labour's Karen Shore trailed narrowly in second place with 12,639 votes.
There were also 85 ballots rejected after the full recount.
Pochin's victory also ensures Reform UK returns its Commons contingent to five after Nigel Farage briefly reduced his ranks to just four following Rupert Lowe's suspension in March.
Despite Farage declaring victory in Runcorn & Helsby shortly before 4am, the result was only officially declared at 6am after a lengthy recount.
LATEST ON REFORM'S LOCAL ELECTION TRIBULATIONS:
Reform is back to five MPs: Nigel Farage, James McMurdock, Sarah Pochin, Lee Anderson and Richard Tice
PAFollowing the declaration, the Reform UK leader said: “What it sends is a message not just from here but across the country that we are now the opposition to the Labour Party, who are in Government, and actually in most parts of the country now, if you vote Conservative, you get Labour.”
Pochin added: "We have made history tonight here in Runcorn and Helsby. Now, together, let’s build a better future."
Research conducted by Electoral Calculus suggests Reform UK would hoover up 427 seats if Runcorn's 17 per cent swing was emulated in a General Election.
Meanwhile, a Labour Party spokesman appeared to take a bizarre swipe at the Tories following the shock defeat.
Nigel Farage holds up six digits - one for every vote which secured Sarah Pochin's seat in the CommonsREUTERSHe said: “While Labour has suffered an extremely narrow defeat, the shock is that the Conservative vote has collapsed."
However, Labour also argued that the circumstances leading to the by-election made the "difficult" challenge "even harder".
Conservative candidate Sean Houlston just about managed to cling onto his deposit, with his 2,341 votes putting the Tories just 27 votes ahead of the Green Party.
A Tory Party spokesman laid the blame at Starmer's feet, warning Labour MPs will "rightfully question his leadership" after the Prime Minister was "roundly rejected" in Runcorn & Helsby.
