Labour is growing increasingly concerned about the rising support for Reform UK, with recent polls showing the party ahead of Labour and the Conservatives trailing in third place. One Labour strategist noted that while Reform is not ideal for Labour, it poses an existential threat to the Tories, particularly as a YouGov poll indicates that one in five Conservative voters from the 2024 general election now back Reform.
The Opinium poll released this week further underscores Tory woes, showing their vote share sinking to levels worse than those seen in last summer's election. Meanwhile, Reform's deputy leader, Richard Tice, has claimed the party has momentum and is splitting the Conservative vote. Labour MPs in 89 constituencies where Reform came second are especially uneasy, with many holding narrow majorities and facing abusive messages from Reform supporters on social media.
Labour staffers and campaign groups are actively devising strategies to counter Reform, a topic discussed during the cabinet's six-hour 'away day' at Lancaster House on Friday. However, one minister present admitted that no single 'killer' tactic has been found yet. Previously, Labour had assumed Reform would mainly harm the Conservatives by splitting the right-wing vote, but the current surge has prompted a more confrontational approach.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting recently directly attacked Reform leader Nigel Farage, denouncing his 'miserabilist, declinist' vision of Britain. Despite these efforts, Labour veterans worry that the party may not be immune to the broader European trend of rising hard-right support, given the government's plummeting approval ratings and the Tories' discredited record.
