Nigel Farage’s party gained control of councils for the first time, picking up hundreds of seats, many in once-safe Conservative areas. And in a shock Westminster by-election, they even beat Labour to claim their fifth MP in Runcorn and Helsby.

Nigel Farage's right-wing Reform UK party made early gains in local English election results on Friday and dramatically won a parliamentary by-election by the smallest ever margin in the first major electoral test since last year's general election.

The right-wing party Reform UK led by Nigel Farage won a seat in Parliament by a handful of votes and looked set to make more gains in results Friday from local elections the party hopes will show it is a major player in British politics.