Overview

• Reform UK won the Runcorn and Helsby by-election by six votes, overturning Labour's 53% majority from the previous election.
• The party gained control of Lincolnshire with 42% of the vote, surpassing the Conservatives, who garnered 26%.
• Andrea Jenkyns became Reform UK's first mayor, marking a significant milestone for the party in Greater Lincolnshire.
• These victories highlight voter dissatisfaction with the status quo, driven by concerns over immigration and economic stagnation since the 2008 financial crisis.
• Reform UK's rise signals the fragmentation of the Labour-Conservative duopoly, with unpredictable implications under the UK's electoral system.