Carlisle's Reform UK candidate has expressed surprise at the national outlook for his party following its first General Election.

Stephen Ward has described what Reform UK has achieved in four years as "pretty amazing."

The exit poll, which was produced at 10pm on election night, predicted that the new party, which evolved from the Brexit Party, will receive 13 seats across the country.

It ended the night with just four seats - but earned over 4million votes and a vote share of more than 14 per cent.

"Tonight's gone really well," said Mr Ward.

"I think we've done better than realistically we would have but I think the marketing machine on Reform has been doing a great job. We've built it up."

Brian Wernham, Liberal Democrat candidate for Carlisle, called the Reform UK votes a "protest vote."

But Mr Ward believes that the Conservatives have been "firmly trashed" and have wasted the mandate given to them. 

Making some predictions about the next few years, he said: "I think within two years, there'll be another election.

"I think Labour will have destroyed the country so significantly that people have had enough and I can't see Starmer being in for more than 18 months."

He also claimed that the potential Labour government will put 'troops on the ground' in Ukraine and take the country into the war between Russia and Ukraine 'within the next few months'.

"Russia will respond by bombing the UK," Mr Ward added. 

"So I think we've got that coming because there's not going to be the voice of reason to stop it, which I was hoping, at least if Nigel gets in, then we'll have that voice of reason."

Speaking before the final result, Mr Ward added he was optimistic about his party's future.

"Even if we come second, it will be good. It will send out a very clear message but we've got five years to build on that message, and that's what this is about."