Nigel Farage Blames Makerfield By-election Loss on Anti-Starmer Voter Tactics

Nigel Farage, leader of Reform UK, expressed disappointment with his party's showing in the Makerfield by-election, where candidate Rob Kenyon finished over 9,000 votes behind Labour's Andy Burnham. Farage claimed that voters, driven by a desire to oust Sir Keir Starmer, had instead backed Burnham, leading to an "emphatic" Labour victory.

Farage also conceded that Restore Britain, a rival party founded by former Reform MP Rupert Lowe, had drawn votes away from Reform. Restore Britain secured third place, marking its emergence in national politics. Farage appealed directly to Restore voters, urging them to support Reform as the primary "challenger party to the left."

Reform UK had aimed to defeat Burnham in Makerfield, a Labour stronghold for over a century, to bolster its credentials as a significant opposition force. However, Burnham, the outgoing Greater Manchester mayor, increased Labour's majority. This victory positions him for a potential challenge to Sir Keir Starmer for the Labour leadership.

Farage noted Reform had been "slightly hoist with our own petard" by framing previous elections as a means to end Starmer's premiership. He also voiced frustration with Restore Britain, which had promoted an agenda of "mass deportations." Despite anticipating 18,000 votes, Reform secured just under 16,000. Kenyon's campaign faced scrutiny over past social media comments, though he increased Reform's overall vote share.

Restore Britain, registered in March, contested its first Westminster seat in Makerfield, capturing around 7% of the vote. This performance presents a strategic challenge for Farage, particularly given Reform's recent shift to the right, advocating policies such as banning non-British nationals from social housing.