The Runcorn and Helsby by-election is on a knife edge, with just four votes separating Reform UK and Labour, the BBC has been told. A full recount is taking place, after party officials said the first tally put Nigel Farage's party ahead by a tiny margin.

Nigel Farage’s right-wing populist party snatched a critical parliamentary seat from the governing Labour Party.

Triggered by the conviction of its MP for punching a constituent, Reform’s Sarah Pochin overturned Labour’s huge majority, to win it by just six votes.