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Reform UK leader Nigel Farage (Image: Getty)
Nigel Farage heralded “historic change in British politics” after Reform UK‘s local election triumph. Reform won more than 1,000 councillors across the country, including sweeping gains in Labour’s Red Wall northern heartlands.
The party took Sunderland from Labour and became the second-largest party in Tameside, which includes Angela Rayner‘s constituency. Reform’s successes also included wins in Havering, its first London borough, and taking Essex County Council – Kemi Badenoch’s local authority – from the Tories.
Mr Farage said: “What’s happened is a truly historic shift in British politics.
“We’ve been so used to thinking about politics in terms of left and right, yet what Reform are able to do is to win in areas that have always been Conservative, but equally, we’re proving in a big way that we could win in areas that Labour has dominated since the end of World War I.
“It’s a big, big day, not just for our party, but for a complete reshaping of British politics in every way.”
The Reform leader added that voters for his party see the election victories as a “stepping stone”.\
Asked if he is the Prime Minister in waiting, he said: “Well, that’s for you to judge.
“I did describe the elections yesterday as like Becher’s Brook, you know, you’ve got to clear Becher’s Brook and land well to win the Grand National, but you know what, there are still some more fences to jump.”
Reform also came second in Wales as Labour was ousted from power for the first time in history, and joint-second in Scotland.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is battling to stay in 10 Downing Street following Labour’s drubbing.