'We're here to stay', Farage tells LBC as he hails Reform seizing Labour strongholds
The Reform UK leader said his party was exceeding predictions in the local elections
Nigel Farage has declared Reform UK a "national party" after making huge gains in the local elections.
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Speaking to LBC's Nick Ferrari at Breakfast, the Reform UK leader said "there is no question that Reform" is building support after his party swept up hundreds of seats, including many in Labour strongholds.
He said no other party is competitive from the northwest of scotland to the southwestern tip of cornwall.
"We are a truly national party and we’re here to stay", Farage told Nick.
But he admitted that "we still have a lot to do" as vote counting continues.
The Reform leader said he is expecting to snatch up seats in Labour's 'Red Wall' in the north of England as more results come in.
"That's the old Labour heartlands. I'm thinking about Sunderland. I'm thinking about Wakefield in Yorkshire. I'm thinking about St. Helens, part of Greater Merseyside," he said.
Farage said the most devastating result for Labour could be in Wales, where the party has won in every single election since 1922.
Speaking in Havering after Reform UK won control of the east London council, Farage said: "I can honestly say you are witnessing an historic shift in British politics."
He added that Labour and the Conservatives were being “wiped out” in their traditional heartlands and said Reform would bring a mix of new ideas and experience.
He added: “We all know that finances of local councils all over the country are severely stretched. We are not promising miracles but we are promising good value for money.”
Reform has so far gained 398 seats while Labour has lost 253.
Reform UK's gains in Labour and Tory strongholds are becoming a bloodbath for Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
This includes councillors across Leigh, Andy Burnham's traditionally Labour seat in Greater Manchester.
Reform will be looking to increase their gains when Scottish and Welsh polling stations start counting.
When speaking about his predictions later Friday, he said: “What you’ll see tomorrow is the same pattern repeated across the south when we win Essex by an extraordinary margin and Norfolk by an extraordinary margin.”
Labour's rough night had been predicted by many within the party. Labour Justice Minister Jake Richards admitted that the party was in for a bruising night."
We are going to lose some good people tonight," he said.
Mr Richards added that "people want change faster... people aren't feeling it".
Richards did, however, say that he thinks Brits do not want the country to change Prime Minister for the seventh time in a decade.