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  "path": "/politics/reform-uk-makerfield-result-pollster-election",
  "publishedAt": "2026-06-19T05:16:00.000Z",
  "site": "https://www.gbnews.com",
  "tags": [
    "Reform dominates TikTok but Andy Burnham most ‘active’ online campaign ahead of vote, data shows",
    "Andy Burnham reported to police over 'breach of rules' on eve of by-election",
    "Reform to launch 11 by-election bids on same day Nigel Farage challenges Andy Burnham in Makerfield",
    "The GB News Editorial Charter"
  ],
  "textContent": "\n\n\nReform UK suffered its worst night since the 2024 general election and faces a \"very hard\" path to power, a top pollster has warned.\n\nAndy Burnham stormed to victory in the Makerfield by-election, beating Reform UK's Robert Kenyon by more than 9,000 votes.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nLuke Tryl, the UK director of pollster More in Common, said last night's by-election was a very difficult result for Nigel Farage's party.\n\nHe pointed out there was \"barely any\" increase in the party's vote share in Makerfield.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nTRENDING\n\nStories\n\nVideos\n\nYour Say\n\nIn the end, Labour cruised to win a seat that was one of Reform's best second-places in 2024.\n\nRestore Britain, meanwhile, took home seven per cent of the vote in Makerfield.\n\nParty leader Rupert Lowe said the result proved Restore was \"here to stay\".\n\n\"A huge step forward for our party tonight,\" he added.\n\nRichard Tice, Reform UK's deputy leader, told the BBC that Reform voters had told him they would vote for Mr Burnham because of the likelihood of him ousting Sir Keir Starmer.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nHe said his takeaway was that Labour heartlands were now voting purely to oust the Prime Minister.\n\nIn the by-election for the constituency of Aberdeen South, Tory Douglas Lumsden won a contest which was described as a referendum on North Sea oil.\n\nMr Tryl said the Tories had showed \"proof of life and even momentum in the battle for the right\" by winning the seat.\n\nThe pollster said if results tonight were \"replicated elsewhere in fragmented politics, Reform's path to government becomes very, very hard\".\n\nThe Conservatives claimed Reform UK's Makerfield result was \"disastrous\" for Mr Farage's party, despite receiving just over two per cent of the vote themselves.\n\n### MORE ON MAKERFIELD:\n\n\n\n\n  * Reform dominates TikTok but Andy Burnham most ‘active’ online campaign ahead of vote, data shows\n  * Andy Burnham reported to police over 'breach of rules' on eve of by-election\n  * Reform to launch 11 by-election bids on same day Nigel Farage challenges Andy Burnham in Makerfield\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nA party spokesman said: \"There is no disguising the fact that this is a disastrous result for Reform.\n\n\"Makerfield was one of their top target seats anywhere in the country, yet despite throwing everything at it, they have failed to win.\"\n\nTheir candidate Michael Winstanley won 2.2 per cent of the vote - the second lowest share the vote at a Westminster-by-election since the Second World War.\n\nTheir lowest ever was just a few months earlier at February's Gorton and Denton by-election, where the Tories won 1.9 per cent of the vote.\n\nBut Mr Kenyon's vote share of 35.4 per cent was Reform's second-best performance at a Westminster by-election, just behind their result in Runcorn and Helsby, won by Sarah Pochin with 38.7 per cent of the vote.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nThe Conservatives were also able to take council seats from Reform UK in two Essex councils.\n\nReform UK saw its vote share drop by 15.3 percentage points in a seat in Reform UK-run Essex County Council.\n\nAt Rochford District Council, also a Reform heartland, the party experienced a 14.9 point loss.\n\nShadow Local Government Secretary James Cleverly crowed: \"When people see what Reform is like in office, they change their minds about Reform.\"\n\nDespite the large win for the newly-elected Makerfield MP, Labour's vote share plunged in every other by-elections across the nation last night.\n\nIn both Westminster elections in Scotland, Labour suffered near-20 point losses.\n\nIn Aberdeen South, Labour had a 19.4 point drop and in Arbroath and Broughty Ferry, the party had a 18.33 point drop.\n\nLabour's losses also included a 14.4 point drop in a Wrexham council seat and a near 15 point loss in a Hillington council seat.\n\nEven in the sole ward that Labour won, Moorside in Bury Council, the party had a 4.5 point drop in vote share.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n**Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter**",
  "title": "Reform UK suffers 'worst night since 2024' in Makerfield and faces 'very hard path to power' warns top pollster"
}