Reform UK overtakes PM Sunak’s Conservatives in opinion poll

LONDON: In a recent YouGov poll conducted for the Times newspaper, Nigel Farage‘s Reform UK Party surpassed Prime Minister Rishi Sunak‘s Conservative Party for the first time, just weeks before Britain’s upcoming election on July 4. The survey, which involved 2,211 participants and was carried out from June 12-13, revealed that Reform UK garnered 19% support, a 2% increase from their previous standing, while the Conservatives remained unchanged at 18%.The opposition Labour Party maintained its lead with 37% of the vote.
The poll results come in the wake of Sunak’s pledge to reduce taxes for working individuals by 17 billion pounds, as outlined in his party’s election manifesto. Meanwhile, Reform UK’s popularity has been on the rise since Farage, renowned for his instrumental role in the successful Brexit campaign, announced his return to frontline politics, assuming leadership of the party and declaring his intention to run for parliament. In a video posted on X, Farage confidently stated, “This is the inflection point, the only wasted vote now is a Conservative vote, we are the challengers to Labour and we are on our way.”
Reform UK, a small right-wing party established in 2018 under the name Brexit Party, advocates for populist policies such as stricter immigration laws. Sunak’s campaign has also faced setbacks, including sharp criticism for his early departure from D-Day memorial events compared to other world leaders. It is important to note that while Reform UK has surpassed the Conservatives in this particular poll, other opinion polls indicate a more substantial lead for the Conservatives over Reform UK.
Despite Reform UK’s strong showing in the nationwide vote share, the party is not expected to secure many parliamentary seats due to the nature of Britain’s electoral system. The ‘winner takes it all’ approach, which lacks proportional representation, means that Reform UK could amass millions of votes across the country without achieving a majority in any of the 650 individual constituencies that constitute the British parliament. In contrast, support for larger and more established parties like Labour and the Conservatives tends to be more concentrated in specific geographic areas, giving them an advantage in securing seats.