Runcorn by-election result: The key facts and figures as Reform's Sarah Pochin claims victory over Labour

Reform has claimed victory in the Runcorn & Helsby by-election, with Sarah Pochin overturning Labour's large majority to become Reform's fifth MP after a recount.

The Scotsman looks at the key facts and figures that decided the by-election - and behind Reform’s sharp rise in votes in the constituency, as Nigel Farage celebrated his party’s success.

Nigel Farage (left) and Sarah Pochin of the Reform Party speak to members of the media as a vote recount is conducted during the Runcorn and Helsby by-election. Picture: Anthony Devlin/Getty Images | Anthony Devlin/Getty Images

Runcorn location

Runcorn & Helsby is a constituency in Cheshire, in the North West region of England. The by-election was triggered when former Labour MP Mike Amesbury quit after admitting punching a constituent.

Smallest majority

Reform has set a new record for the smallest majority at a parliamentary by-election since the end of the Second World War.

Sarah Pochin took the seat with 12,645 votes - just six ahead of Labour’s Karen Shore, who received 12,639.

READ MORE: Reform local election results: Nigel Farage's party triumphs over Labour in by-election in 'big moment'

Ms Pochin’s majority is the narrowest win at a by-election since 1945 and easily beats the previous record of 57, which was set at a by-election in Berwick-upon-Tweed in 1973.

Sarah Pochin’s makes history

Ms Pochin becomes only the third person in modern times to have won a by-election by fewer than 100 votes.

Along with Alan Beith’s victory for the Liberals at Berwick in 1973, the only other instance since the war was in 1967, when Frederick Silvester won Walthamstow West for the Conservatives with a majority of 62.

Reform UK's Sarah Pochin and party leader Nigel Farage talk to the media after the party won the seat in the Runcorn and Helsby by-election at DCBL Halton Stadium, Widnes, Cheshire. Picture date: Friday May 2, 2025. PA Photo. See PA story POLITICS Elections. Photo credit should read: Peter Byrne/PA Wire | Peter Byrne/PA Wire

Labour’s narrowest win at a post-war by-election was in 1982 at Birmingham Northfield, when they took the seat by 289 votes.

Reform’s Runcorn vote share

The result at Runcorn & Helsby also marks Reform’s highest-ever share of the vote in a by-election.

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The party took 38.7 per cent of the vote, more than double its previous best performance of 16.9 per cent at Blackpool South in 2024, when the party finished in third place.

Voting swing

The swing in the share of the vote from Labour to Reform was 17.4 percentage points.

This is slightly larger than the 16.0-point swing at Hartlepool in May 2021, which was the last time Labour was defeated at a by-election, on that occasion losing to the Conservatives.

Voter turnout

The turnout at Runcorn & Helsby (46.2 per cent) is the highest at a parliamentary by-election since 52.2 per cent in June 2022 at Tiverton & Honiton, when the Liberal Democrats gained the seat from the Conservatives on a swing of 29.9 percentage points.

Reform’s overall local election seat wins

Overall in Thursday’s local elections, Reform has won 79 seats at the time of writing - comfortably the highest of any party.

The Conservatives are the next best with 37 seats, followed by Labour with just 11 seats.

The Liberal Democrats have won five seats - already two up on previous results.

Dame Andrea Jenkyns

Dame Andrea Jenkyns has become Reform's first mayor. Picture: Getty Images | Getty Images

Reform has claimed another major first in the local elections south of the Border, with Dame Andrea Jenkyns taking the party's first mayoral win, with the victory coming in Greater Lincolnshire.

A former Greggs worker and Miss UK finalist, Dame Andrea beat the Conservative candidate by more than 40,000 votes. She won in every area of the county except one, polling a total of 104,133 votes.

Conservatives’ Rob Waltham finished second with 64,585 votes.