Farage’s ‘Reform UK’ overtakes PM Sunak's Conservatives in opinion poll
It was revealed on Thursday 13 June that Reform UK Party, led by Nigel Farage, ranked higher in an opinion poll compared to the Conservatives led by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. This marks the first time this has occurred in relation to the upcoming election on 4 July in Britain.
According to a survey conducted by YouGov for the Times, Reform UK's percentage went up to 19% from their previous score of 17%. Meanwhile, the Conservative Party remained at a steady 18%. At the top of the poll was the Labour Party with a score of 37%.
A group of 2,211 individuals were surveyed on the 12th and 13th of June. This came after Sunak made a commitment to reduce taxes by 17 billion pounds (€20.24 billion) for employees as outlined in his party's election manifesto.
The popularity of the Reform party has increased after Farage, who is famous for leading the campaign for Britain to exit from the European Union, announced his comeback to active politics. He has taken control of the party as the leader and will also run for a seat in parliament.
"This marks a crucial moment. A Conservative vote at this time is pointless, as we are the ones taking on the Labour Party and making headway," expressed Farage in a video uploaded on platform X.
Reform Party, previously known as Brexit Party, is a minor conservative group established in 2018. They promote populist agendas such as advocating for stricter regulations on immigration.
A politician from the Conservative party, who chose to remain anonymous, was questioned about whether this switch in political allegiance would be permanent. They responded positively, stating that people have become disillusioned with the current Tory leadership, rather than with Conservative values overall. Therefore, they believe that these individuals are shifting their support to another political party that aligns more closely with their beliefs.
Sunak's political campaign has faced severe backlash due to his early exit from the D-Day memorial events in France, leaving behind other global leaders.
Different surveys indicate that the Conservative Party is leading by a significant margin compared to the Reform Party.
Even though Reform surpassed Sunak's Conservatives in the recent poll that demonstrated the percentage of the entire nation's vote, it is not anticipated to gain numerous parliamentary seats.
The assistance it receives is dispersed quite equally throughout all parts of the nation, unlike the stronger and more well-established political groups' support, which is mainly concentrated in specific regions.
The United Kingdom operates on an electoral system known as first-past-the-post. This means that the Reform party has the potential to receive a significant number of votes nationwide, but may not necessarily secure a victory in any of the 650 parliamentary constituencies.
