Reform UK are set to fight Labour in a by-election following Mike Amesbury revealing his intentions to quit as an MP last night after he was convicted of punching a constituent in the street.
Amesbury told the BBC he will begin the “statutory process” of closing his office before resigning as an MP “as soon as possible”.
This will trigger a by-election in Runcorn and Helsby, where Reform UK is second in local polls to Labour.
A Reform UK spokesman said: “We stand ready to contest this by-election, it’s one of Labour’s safest seats but we will give it our all.
“Labour have failed Runcorn, Helsby and the country since taking office. Runcorn and Helsby needs Reform.”
Nigel Farage’s party has already been campaigning in the constituency, with them purchasing a digital billboard with their branding on. “Runcorn needs Reform,” it read.
National polls indicate Labour will hold this seat by 13 per cent over Reform, though officials believe Farage’s party can win this by-election. Labour won the seat in last year’s general election with 22,358 votes, with Reform UK in second place on 7,662.
It comes at a difficult time for Nigel Farage after his party suspended and reported its MP Rupert Lowe to the police over alleged “threats of physical violence” against the party chairman Zia Yusaf. Lowe, however, believed it was because he publicly criticised Nigel Farage last week, saying he won’t be “by his side” at the next election unless changes are made to his “messianic leadership” style.
Rob Ford, a professor of politics at Manchester University, told the Guardian: “A Labour defeat to Reform would be a big blow to morale and intensify internal arguments over how to respond to Farage, particularly as it would come either soon before or soon after local and mayoral contests which will also feature Reform heavily.”
He added: “A Reform by-election win on such a big swing would be a huge deal for Farage, demonstrating his claim to be ‘coming for Labour’ is credible, and likely also showing that Reform can squeeze third-placed Conservative voters where they are the best placed local opponent to Labour.”
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