A former Number 10 advisor believes Nigel Farage’s return could see Reform UK surpass the Conservatives in opinion polls, amidst the party’s lowest favorability ratings under Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.
A former advisor to Number 10 Downing Street has suggested that Reform UK could potentially surpass the Conservatives in opinion polls with the return of Nigel Farage to the political arena. James Johnson, from JL Partners, attributes Farage’s influence and recent publicity from “I’m A Celebrity” as factors that could drive Reform UK’s popularity upwards. Concurrently, a YouGov survey shows Reform UK at 15% in the polls, closely trailing the Conservative’s 19%, a tie for the lowest support level recorded during Liz Truss’s leadership, while Labour leads significantly at 44%.
Current Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is also facing challenges, as his and the Conservative Party’s favorability ratings have plummeted to their lowest points during this parliament, according to recent polling. With a net favorability of minus 38, Sunak is contending with a 58% unfavourability rating for the Tories. This unfavourability extends across several politicians, including both Farage and Lee Anderson from Reform UK, despite Reform’s potential rise in the polls. Additionally, there is a substantial public sentiment for change, as demonstrated by over three-quarters of those surveyed expressing a desire for a new government leadership team.
Analysts are closely monitoring these developments, especially with the ongoing election year, indicating a possibly challenging period ahead for the Conservative Party under Sunak’s leadership. Despite Reform UK’s gaining traction, the first-past-the-post electoral system might still pose a challenge for them in translating increased poll ratings into actual seats in Parliament.
