Reform UK were yesterday accused of having ‘no plan for reforming anything’ after a poll suggested Nigel Farage‘s party was just two points behind the Tories.
Conservative ministers lashed out, saying it was easy for Mr Farage and his party to shout from the sidelines but ‘these guys don’t even have a policy’.
And in a boost for Rishi Sunak, rumours of further Tory defections to Reform melted away. None were expected ahead of today’s deadline for nominations to stand in the General Election.
But Reform chairman Richard Tice said last night the Tories were ‘terrified’ of the insurgent party.
It comes after a YouGov poll this week put Reform on 17 percentage points – two points up since Mr Farage announced his return to frontline politics as Reform leader. The Tories were on 19 and Labour on 40.
Nigel Farage has predicted Reform could be level with the Tories in the polls ‘within a week’. Pictured: The party leader at Arromanches, Normandy for the D-Day celebrations
Reform chairman Richard Tice (pictured) said last night the Tories were ‘terrified’ of Reform
Mr Sunak (pictured with his wife) and Mr Farage have ruled out striking a pact to stand down in certain seats and give each other’s candidates a clear run
A slew of other polls last night suggested Reform was increasingly squeezing Tory support.
A Focaldata poll found Mr Sunak was just one percentage point above Mr Farage on the metric of who would make the best prime minister, at 20 versus 19. Labour leader Keir Starmer was on 41.
Focaldata had Reform up two to 14 points, the Tories down one to 25 per cent and Labour up one to 44 per cent.
Meanwhile Redfield and Wilton found the Prime Minister to have a worse favourability score than Mr Farage, at -19 per cent compared with -7.
Fears are mounting among Tory candidates that Mr Farage’s insurgent party will split the Right-wing vote and make a Labour victory much easier.
Launching his campaign on Monday, Mr Farage predicted Reform could be level with the Tories in the polls ‘within a week’.
And the firebrand politician yesterday slammed Mr Sunak for leaving D-Day events in Normandy, France, early to resume campaigning.
Mr Farage attended ‘in a personal capacity’, where he was seen trying out a military truck on Gold Beach in Arromanches. Sir Keir attended the full day, along with world leaders and veterans.
Work and pensions secretary Mel Stride was yesterday asked if the YouGov poll sent ‘a shudder down your spine?’ He told Sky News: ‘The only poll that matters is the General Election.’
Bim Afolami, economic secretary to the Treasury, said: ‘[Reform] don’t have a plan for reforming anything. It’s easy to shout from the sidelines, if you’re Nigel Farage or anybody else, say “all of the established parties are rubbish”. But these guys don’t even have a policy.’
Mr Sunak and Mr Farage have ruled out striking a pact to stand down in certain seats and give each other’s candidates a clear run.
Last night Mr Tice said the Tories were ‘absolutely terrified’, adding: ‘They’ve been begging us not to stand in all sorts of places and we’re catching them up. Look at the YouGov poll. We’re really delighted.’