Rise of Reform reflects deepening disillusionment with current politics

As well as winning the by-election in the previously safe Labour seat of Runcorn and Helsby, Reform took control of 10 of the 23 councils where elections were being held, while the Tories lost all 16 which they had previously held and Labour lost the one they controlled. Ten of the councils now have no party in overall control and the Lib Dems won the other three. And Reform also won two of the mayoral contests.

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage celebrates the party's local election victories on May 2. Picture: Lia Toby/Getty Images. | Getty Images

There are the usual caveats about low turn-out and by-elections being used for a protest vote. And it's also worth noting there were no elections in Scotland, Wales or large parts of England, including most of the big cities.

But the results nevertheless show that poll leads can indeed translate into election victories.

Reform now hopes to win seats in the Scottish Parliament for the first time at next year's Holyrood elections. The party's poll rating in Scotland is only about half that south of the border. But our proportional representation system means it could still get MSPs elected.

However, in the meantime Reform will be tested by being in power - and they may find running councils is not as easy as they think. Scrapping climate initiatives and sacking equality officers are no answer to the serious pressures councils face.

The rise of Reform reflects a deepening disillusionment among voters with current politics.

The Tories are paying the price for all that the last government got up to - Boris Johnson’s chaotic premiership and partying through Covid, followed by Liz Truss’s disastrous spell in office - as well as being unimpressive now.

Labour was elected less than a year ago with a landslide, but its popularity has plummeted and people complain the promise of “change” has not been delivered.

The government has introduced important measures, like raising the minimum wage, improving workers’ rights, and taxing private school fees.

But its very first announcement, the means-testing of winter fuel payments, is the one which seems to have had the biggest impact on its reputation and is cited repeatedly as evidence that the party is not looking after those Labour would be expected to protect.

In the wake of last week’s elections, Keir Starmer promises to go “further and faster”. But he should also be bolder in pursuing what might be seen as natural Labour policies and resisting the temptation to pander to the right by following Reform’s agenda.