Farage’s Reform Party Election Surge Signals Sea Change in British Politics

The results might be the ‘beginning of a much bigger political earthquake,’ said pollster Matthew Goodwin.

Leader of Reform UK Nigel Farage addresses supporters and the media at Staffordshire County Showground after Reform UK won control of Staffordshire County Council by winning 49 out of 62 seats available with 41 percent of the overall votes on May 2, 2025 in Stafford, United Kingdom. Leon Neal/Getty Images

The Reform UK party under Nigel Farage has just seized its first by-election victory in a former Labour stronghold and has made huge gains in local elections, foreshadowing seismic shifts in English politics.

On May 2, in a by-election triggered by Labour MP Mike Amesbury’s March resignation following his assault conviction, Sarah Pochin captured the Runcorn and Helsby seat for Reform UK, defeating Labour by just six votes.