Labour Activists Brace for Surge in Support for Reform UK in Crucial Seats

Labour candidates and activists are preparing for a potential surge in support for Nigel Farage’s hard-right Reform UK in key constituencies of north-west England and the Midlands, with expectations of close margins in Thursday’s general election.

In certain Conservative-held seats, campaigners are anticipating Reform UK to secure second place, surpassing the Tories, with concerns about the impact of ‘shy Reformers’ on the results.

There has been a noticeable split in the vote in some diverse constituencies, with candidates campaigning on specific issues like Gaza, targeting BAME voters, while seeing an increase in Reform UK support among white voters who might have otherwise supported the Conservatives.

Labour activists expressed worries about the potential impact of last-minute issues swaying vulnerable target voters towards Reform UK, drawing parallels to the uncertainty surrounding Ukip‘s support in 2015.

Seats where activists have raised concerns about Reform UK include Oldham, Leigh, Atherton, Makerfield, Bolsover, Sherwood Forest, Barnsley, as well as Clacton in Essex and Boston and Skegness in the Midlands where Nigel Farage is standing.

Reform UK’s chair, Richard Tice, is among the prominent candidates eyeing a parliamentary seat, along with other potential MPs like the businessman Alex Story and former Conservative MP Lee Anderson.