New blow for Tories as latest election poll shows Reform overtaking them in key UK regions
Rishi Sunak and the Tories are trailing Nigel Farage's Reform UK party in two key parts of the UK, in the latest setback for the PM.
The Conservative Party faces a fresh challenge as recent election polls show Reform UK surpassing them in both the Midlands and the North of England.
According to figures from a YouGov daily tracker, Reform UK, which was re-launched in 2021 as a successor to the Brexit Party, has seen a significant rise in popularity at the expense of the Tories.
In the North, the Conservatives are currently polling at 16 percent, trailing behind Reform UK, which stands at 21 percent. Similarly, in the Midlands, the Conservatives are at 20 percent while Reform UK has surged ahead to 25 percent, the highest figure the party has achieved in the region since its inception.
This shift comes amid significant developments within Reform UK, including the recent announcement that Nigel Farage will take over as party leader from Richard Tice and run as an MP for Clacton. Farage’s leadership and candidacy have injected new momentum into the party, which is now catching up with the Tories across all regions - but has overtaken them in two key areas.
The YouGov poll indicates that the Conservatives currently stand at 19 percent among all adults, with Reform UK close behind at 17 percent.
READ MORE: Farage boost could see Reform UK winning four seats in general election surge [LATEST]
Farage’s decision to stand for Parliament marks a reversal from his initial campaign stance on May 23, when he ruled out running for a seat in the House of Commons in the general election. In his recent speech, Farage described Reform UK as a “brand new Conservative movement” and highlighted a perceived “lack of debate” between the two main political parties.
In an interview with Camilla Tominey on GB News earlier this week, Farage confidently stated that Reform UK would challenge the Tories in the polls sooner than expected.
“Everyone knows that the election is over in terms of who wins,” Farage said. “But I think what will happen is we will take equally from the Conservatives, Labour, and non-voters.
Don't miss...
Inside 'watershed moment' that saw Rishi Sunak's biggest backer turn [LATEST]
Bookies frantic after bombshell Reform poll sees manic rush to change odds [REFORM UK]
Rishi Sunak's one big General Election 'mistake' laid bare by John Curtice [RISHI SUNAK]
"I would hope that within a week, we will be equal with the Conservatives and maybe ahead. And I think that is possible. It’s possible because it won’t just be Tories switching, it will be Labour too.”
Support for Farage in Clacton is particularly strong. A poll conducted by Britain Predicts in January 2024 found that with Farage leading Reform UK, the party would win the seat in Clacton with 37 percent of the vote, followed by the Conservatives at 27 percent and Labour at 23 percent.
The poll also indicated that half of all Conservative voters in Clacton would vote for Farage, along with 52 percent of leave voters.
