In England, the populist right confirms its breakthrough

Six votes ahead. Not since 1892 has the result of a parliamentary election been so close in the United Kingdom. Late overnight and after a recount of the votes on Friday, May 2, the right-wing populist Reform UK party snatched the Runcorn and Helsby seat from the Labour Party in a closely watched by-election.

The anti-immigration party, led by British political agent provocateur Nigel Farage, delivered a “stunning” performance, according to The Daily Telegraph . And for good reason: less than a year earlier, on July 4, 2024, Labour had crushed the competition in this constituency in northwest England, winning by nearly 15,000 votes. That day, the center-left party enjoyed a landslide victory across the Channel, synonymous with an absolute majority in the House of Commons after fourteen years of Conservative rule.

Ten months in power later, the outcome of the Runcorn and Helsby elections illustrates the chaotic beginnings of Sir Keir Starmer's government. Voters, in practice, are not seeing any tangible improvement in their living standards. On the contrary, in fact: Labour has cut winter support.