Reform UK Shakes Up British Politics: Farage Declares End of Two-Party System After Dramatic Election Wins

Reform UK just sent shockwaves through British politics, nabbing a string of seats in parliamentary, mayoral, and local elections. Nigel Farage, the party’s ever-colorful leader, has declared Reform UK “now the opposition party to this Labour government.” Well, that’s one way to crash a two-party party.

Farage, never one to shy away from big statements, called this the death of Britain’s century-old two-party system. Both Labour and the Conservatives took a beating in Thursday’s election, with Reform UK celebrating a particularly dramatic win in Runcorn & Helsby—a seat described as deep Labour territory—after Sarah Pochin squeaked out a victory by just six votes. Talk about a photo finish; the recount must have had everyone holding their breath.

Farage was quick to spin the results, posting that “if you vote Conservative you will get Labour. But if you vote Reform, you get Reform.” Given how tight that Runcorn & Helsby race was, maybe Reform UK should send thank-you notes to every single voter in the district.

Labour, led by Prime Minister Keir Starmer, remains firmly in control with 403 parliamentary seats. The Conservatives lag behind at 121, Liberal Democrats have 72, and the rest are divided among Independents and a smattering of smaller parties—including Reform UK, which now holds five seats. It’s not quite a revolution, but for Farage, it’s a start.

In another surprise, Andrea Jenkyns snagged the mayorship in Greater Lincolnshire, a Conservative stronghold for years. Reform UK's deputy leader, Richard Tice, summed it up as a “political earthquake,” pointing out that voters across the country seem to be turning their backs on the two main parties.

Farage, who once belonged to the Conservatives before launching the Brexit Party (now Reform UK), claimed the Tories are running out of steam. “You're witnessing the end of a party that's been around since 1832,” he told reporters. If nothing else, British politics just got a lot less predictable—and probably a lot more entertaining.