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Radio France Internationale
Radio France Internationale
World
RFI

Hard right wins local UK election in blow to PM Starmer

Nigel Farage, leader of the Reform UK party, celebrates the victory of Sarah Pochin, the party’s candidate, in the Runcorn and Helsby by-election in Widnes, north-west England, in the early hours of 2 May 2025. © Oli SCARFF / AFP

Runcorn (AFP) – Hard-right upstarts Reform UK snatched a parliamentary seat from Prime Minister Keir Starmer's Labour party on Friday in local elections that dealt a blow to Britain's two establishment parties.

Reform, led by anti-immigrant firebrand Nigel Farage, won the by-election in Runcorn and Helsby in northwest England by just six votes, as it picked up gains in other localities including one mayoralty.

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