The Labour and Conservative parties are digesting the results of England's local and Mayoral elections after Reform UK made major gains at their expense. With counting complete, Nigel Farage's party took control of 10 local councils, won two mayoral races and added a fifth MP by taking Runcorn and Helsby.

Until now, Reform’s political impact had far outweighed its electoral impact. Mr Farage’s team had topped the polls on and off since the start of the year; the local elections on May 1st were a chance to show that this surge was not just an artefact of polling. The party took it.