In a political earthquake that has sent shockwaves through Westminster, Nigel Farage's insurgent Reform UK party has overtaken Rishi Sunak's Conservatives in a devastating opinion poll, marking a potential watershed moment in British politics.
Polling Cataclysm for the Tories
The bombshell YouGov survey for The Times places Reform UK on 19% of the vote, edging ahead of the Conservatives who languish at just 18%. This represents the first time a poll has shown Mr Farage's party leading the Tories, with the Labour Party commanding a formidable lead of 37%.
The dramatic surge for Reform UK has triggered a furious response from former Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who launched a blistering attack on his long-time rival. Mr Johnson accused Mr Farage of deliberately sabotaging Conservative efforts and acting as a "destroyer" rather than a builder.
Johnson's Furious Broadside
In comments that highlight the deep divisions within the right of British politics, Mr Johnson did not hold back. "When it comes to the Kobe beef of politics, when it comes to the marbled steak of politics, Nigel is the destroyer of beef," the former PM declared in a characteristically flamboyant metaphor.
He went further, accusing the Reform UK leader of pursuing a personal vendetta that could hand the election to Labour on a "platter". This public airing of grievances exposes the bitter civil war erupting on the centre-right as the general election approaches.
Farage Fires Back
Never one to shy away from a political fight, Mr Farage responded with equal force, dismissing Mr Johnson's criticism as "nonsense from a man who's completely out of touch with the country and the Conservative voter base".
The Reform UK leader pointed to his party's rising poll numbers as evidence that traditional Conservative voters are abandoning what he describes as a "high-tax, high-regulation, net-zero obsessed Conservative Party" that has betrayed its core principles.
Existential Crisis for the Conservatives
This polling milestone represents nothing short of an existential crisis for the Conservative Party. The prospect of being pushed into third place by a party that only recently rebranded from the Brexit Party has left Tory strategists scrambling for a response.
With the general election looming, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak now faces a battle on two fronts: against Sir Keir Starmer's Labour Party and against Nigel Farage's insurgent Reform UK, which threatens to split the right-wing vote and potentially wipe out Conservative MPs across the country.
The coming weeks will test whether this poll represents a temporary protest or a fundamental realignment of British politics that could reshape the political landscape for years to come.
