Reform UK, led by Nigel Farage, has taken more than four million votes and is on course to become the UK’s third-largest political party in terms of vote share. The party has already won four seats in the UK general election, including Clacton, where Nigel Farage was elected as an MP for the first time. He has promised a press conference to announce the “next steps for our political revolt” later in the day.
Reform UK has also won Great Yarmouth and Boston and Skegness from the Conservatives, and former Conservative MP Lee Anderson, who defected to Reform in March, has retained Ashfield in Nottinghamshire. The party has widespread support in areas where the Conservatives won in the 2019 general election under the leadership of Boris Johnson, coming second in many constituencies.
Mr Farage has stated Reform UK will now focus on targeting Labour voters, stating that there is “no enthusiasm for Labour, there’s no enthusiasm for Starmer whatsoever.” The party is aiming to become the main opposition to Labour by the next general election.
The party was forecast by earlier exit polls to win 13 seats but currently holds four. Reform UK benefited in seats the Conservative Party had previously held by advancing most in areas where people voted Leave in the 2016 referendum. More than 70% of people who voted for Reform in all four seats won were Brexit supporters.
Reform UK has faced criticism for fielding many candidates in the UK general election, and the party has had to disown six of them over offensive comments. Two Reform candidates defected to the Conservatives over their concerns about the party’s leadership
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