Hard-right party wins local UK election in blow to PM Starmer

Hard-right upstarts Reform UK snatched a parliamentary seat from UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s Labour party on Friday in local elections that dealt a blow to Britain’s two establishment parties.

Reform, led by anti-immigrant firebrand Nigel Farage, won the by-election in Runcorn and Helsby in northwest England by just six votes, as it picked up gains in other localities, including one mayoralty.

The group’s strong showing continues the momentum it built up at last year’s general...