Runcorn-Helsby is a Parliamentary constituency in northern England, just outside Liverpool and Manchester. In the election last year, the Labour candidate, Mike Amesbury, got a whopping 53%.

But then, in an astonishing turn of events, Amesbury was caught on video brutally assaulting a voter. He was convicted and sent to prison (just for a couple of days, mind you — compared to two years in prison for Britons who publish “mean tweets” about migrants).

So last night was a special by-election to replace Amesbury. I spent the day in the district, talking to any local residents who would talk to me. And then at night, I met the “opposition” — a gaggle of professional activists, brought in from Manchester to denounce Reform voters as “racist”.

Very early this morning, after a recount, the verdict of the citizens was in: Reform UK beat the Labour candidate, by a startling six votes. Six! Here’s the lesson I learned: the old trick of simply smearing people as “racist” doesn’t seem to work anymore.

People in the constituency are genuinely worried about mass immigration and what it means for everything from crime to the difficulty finding a doctor. Even one woman who told me she voted Labour railed against the daily spectacle of military-aged migrant men coming across the English Channel in boats.

Calling people — and their genuine concerns — “racist” doesn’t work anymore. This is a huge shock to Labour. But it also could be a death knell for the Conservative Party, which was far behind, just ahead of the Greens. And fair enough: the Conservatives had fourteen years to fix immigration and a host of other problems.

They didn’t — in fact, they made them worse. It’s an interesting day for British politics. And, as a Canadian still licking my wounds from my own country’s election loss on Monday, I’m wondering: could we learn a thing or two from Nigel Farage’s willingness to bluntly call for a “freeze” on immigration?

Obviously the BBC state broadcaster was appalled by Farage’s wins — they’re even worse than Canada’s CBC. And they get even more government money for their propaganda. Obviously Rebel News takes no money from any government. So if you found my report valuable, please consider chipping in below to help us crowdfund the cost of our quick journey to the UK — thanks!

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