Although Reform may not win any seats, if it maintains its polling position it will have a significant influence on the general election
Reform UK are rising in the polls ahead of a general election and are now just seven points behind the Tories according to one poll. That makes Reform UK comfortably the third party in British politics, causing a major headache for the Tories.
According to the latest poll, the Tories are now 27 points behind Labour, and Reform is now just seven points behind. The Conservatives remain at just 20 percent support, while Reform UK has marked their highest poll rating to date, at 13 percent, according to a new YouGov poll reported on by the Express.
Although Reform may not win any seats at the next election, if it maintains its polling position it will have a significant influence on the general election and could mean the difference between a minority Labour government and a majority Labour government.
It’s worth pointing out that in the Tamworth and Mid Bedfordshire by-elections, Reform won more votes than the difference between Labour and the Conservatives.
Sunak then will be keen to prevent Reform UK causing any further damage to his party’s general election prospects. What will this mean in practice?
We could well see the Tories sink even lower and veer further right in a bid to outdo Reform UK, especially on immigration, setting us up for a very nasty Tory election campaign.
Or maybe Sunak will continue his charm offensive towards Nigel Farage, in the hope that the man who founded Reform UK defects to the Tories. Earlier this week, we learnt that the Chairman of the Conservative Party said that the Tories were willing to ‘consider Nigel Farage’s application’ to join the party ahead of the election.
Richard Holden made the comments on GB News, when asked if he wanted Farage to join the party, in light of recent polling. Holden told GB News: “Polls bounce around. Obviously you know, any application will be considered on its merits.”
Holden’s remarks come after Sunak himself refused to rule out welcoming Farage back into the Tory party.
After Farage’s appearance at Tory party conference last year, the idea of him returning to the Tory party was reported, with Sunak telling GB News: “Look, the Tory party is a broad church. I welcome lots of people who want to subscribe to our ideals, to our values.”
Basit Mahmood is editor of Left Foot Forward
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