Over the past week alone, the party suffered some of its worst polling in recent times.
While Reform are trying desperately to portray a picture of calm professionals amid ongoing turmoil affecting the party, the scandals affecting it have clearly taken a toll on its poll ratings.
Reform are used to leading in the polls by double digits. Indeed last year, much of its support hovered around the 30% mark. However, since the start of the year, after a number of scandals affected Reform, including broken promises by councils, candidates being suspended and bitter infighting, as well as Farage’s enthusiastic support in the initial stages for Trump’s war with Iran, Reform’s lead has slipped.
Over the past week alone, the party suffered some of its worst polling in recent times.
A poll carried out by More in Common found a five-point slump for Reform. It’s particularly worrying for Reform given that More in Common polling has placed it with consistent high poll ratings.
To make matters worse for Farage, a poll carried out by Freshwater Strategy showed an eight-point swing to the Labour Party, while support for Reform had dropped by four points to 26%.
During the week, Farage’s party continued to be hit by a number of scandals affecting its candidates ahead of the local elections next month, including revelations that some had shared antisemitic and Islamophobic posts.
And amid a row over whether Reform’s Deputy Richard Tice had paid enough tax, a poll carried out by Find Out Now between 15-16 April, also found Reform had declined in popularity by 4 points, putting it on 21%.
The poll findings should give comfort to progressives, knowing that there is nothing unstoppable about Farage’s party, which is as vulnerable as other parties to public opinion.
Basit Mahmood is editor of Left Foot Forward
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