Anti-Reform tactical voting could cost Nigel Farage 60 seats in parliament and deprive him of a majority at the next general election, the largest study of its kind has found.
New research has revealed that most left-wing voters whose first preference is not Labour would be prepared to back Sir Keir Starmer’s party in order to keep Farage out of 10 Downing Street. The Reform UK leader would also face a simultaneous challenge in Conservative-held seats, with more than a third of Labour backers prepared to vote Tory.
The findings are a major challenge for Reform, which is fighting to prove it can break through the two-party-dominated electoral system. Farage has presented Reform as a party preparing for government, following a string of defections by former Tory cabinet ministers. However, while Reform has polled between 25 and 35 per cent since May, the new study suggested that there is a significant number of voters who strongly dislike the party.
The Labour Party would benefit from Liberal Democrat, Green and Your Party supporters in seats that it holds already
TOLGA AKMEN/EPA
