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Farage blames Makerfield defeat on anti-Starmer votes
Key takeaways
- The Reform leader claimed frustration with the embattled prime minister had driven Andy Burnham's "emphatic" Labour victory over his party's candidate, Rob Kenyon, who finished more than 9,000 votes behind.
- He also conceded his party had also lost votes to rightwing rival Restore Britain, founded by ex-Reform MP Rupert Lowe, which finished third in a breakthrough night for the fledgling party.
- He issued a plea for Restore voters to back Reform instead, as the main "challenger party to the left".
Why this matters: a developing story that could shape the day's news cycle.
Paul Seddon Political reporter Reuters Nigel Farage says he is disappointed with Reform UK's performance in the Makerfield by-election, as he blamed his party's defeat on a desire among voters to eject Sir Keir Starmer from Downing Street.
The Reform leader claimed frustration with the embattled prime minister had driven Andy Burnham's "emphatic" Labour victory over his party's candidate, Rob Kenyon, who finished more than 9,000 votes behind.
He also conceded his party had also lost votes to rightwing rival Restore Britain, founded by ex-Reform MP Rupert Lowe, which finished third in a breakthrough night for the fledgling party.
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