Tory voters are split on whether party should merge with Reform UK, polls show as Nigel Farage plots to make cost of living next key battleground_Nhy
Tory voters are split on whether the party should merge with Reform UK before the next general election, a new poll has suggested.
With the Tories trailing behind both Reform and Labour in the polls, Farage is making a determined push to capture disillusioned Conservative voters, setting his sights on the cost of living crisis as the next battleground in the race for votes.
This comes as Farage and fellow senior Reform members join Donald Trump in Washington this weekend for a £150,000 ‘Stars and Stripes Union Jack Party’ followed by his inauguration on Monday.
A recent YouGov poll commissioned by the Times found that Farage’s party is effectively neck-and-neck with Labour, while the Conservatives have fallen into third place with just 22 per cent of the vote.
What’s more, when asked who would make the best prime minister, Farage topped the poll with 20 per cent, ahead of Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer (19 per cent) and the Tories’ Kemi Badenoch (9 per cent).
Despite being under constant scrutiny, Reform UK’s rise is undeniably real. According to the poll, half of those who voted Conservative in 2019 believe that the Tories and Reform should merge, a sentiment that both parties have rejected.
While Farage insists the Tories are ‘a spent force’, polling expert Professor Sir John Curtice observed that the two-party system is ‘fragile’ as voters flock to smaller parties like Reform, the Liberal Democrats, and the Greens.
With the Tories trailing behind both Reform and Labour in the polls, Farage is making a determined push to capture disillusioned Conservative voters, setting his sights on the cost of living crisis as the next battleground in the race for votes
A recent YouGov poll commissioned by the Times found that Farage’s party is effectively neck-and-neck with Labour, while the Conservatives have fallen into third place with just 22 per cent of the vote
Farage, who continues to stir the political pot with bold policies, is now aiming to make the cost of living crisis a central part of his pitch to voters.
While migration remains a key issue for Reform, Farage is focusing heavily on the soaring cost of energy bills, which he claims are a direct result of the government’s push for renewable energy like wind turbines.
‘Electricity bills are up near the maximum they can be,’ he said, ‘the more wind turbines we build the more expensive it will be.’
‘The population explosion over the past 20 years has devalued the quality of life of everyone in Britain. Whether it’s housing, health or traffic your quality of life has been demeaned.’
The Reform leader’s strategy seems to be paying off, as dissatisfaction with the Tories grows, Reform UK’s membership has surged to 182,000, surpassing the Conservative Party’s 131,680 members.
Farage is now positioning himself and his party as the true alternative to Labour, aiming to capitalise on Labour’s internal divisions and the Tories’ inability to tackle pressing issues like inflation, taxes, and public services.
Reform UK’s policies, including raising the income tax threshold to £20,000, slashing corporation tax, and overhauling the immigration system, have been criticised by senior Tories as impractical and too costly.
Nick Candy, Elon Musk and Nigel Farage at Mar-a-lago.
Sir Keir Starmer is now facing a three-way split in parliament, with Reform UK challenging Labour and the Conservatives for voters’ support
Farage, however, welcomes the criticism, seeing it as a sign that his policies are gaining serious attention.
In particular, Labour has seized on Reform’s stance on the NHS, with Farage advocating for a French-style national insurance system rather than the taxpayer-funded NHS model.
While this remains a highly contentious issue, Farage stands firm, arguing that the current system is unsustainable in the long run.
‘I’ve been vilified for suggesting the NHS model isn’t working,’ he said. ‘But the truth is, we need a better way of funding healthcare that doesn’t burden taxpayers and provides quality care for everyone.’
Reform UK has been making waves in the headlines recently after rumours that tech tycoon Elon Musk was planning to donate a $100million war chest to the party.
While those rumours appeared to fizzle out following Mr Musk’s claim that Mr Farage ‘doesn’t have what it takes’, there is no question that Mr Farage has seen an extraordinary change in the British political landscape.
Farage’s allies, including billionaire party treasurer Nick Candy and the party treasurer, believe that Reform has a genuine shot at toppling Labour and becoming a force that cannot be ignored in British politics.
‘In my humble opinion, Nigel will be the next prime minister of this country,’ Candy said, pointing to the growing dissatisfaction with both the Tories and Labour.
