Nigel Farage has criticized a leading polling company, alleging that it is underestimating the level of support for Reform UK.
Farage’s comments came in response to the latest survey by YouGov, which indicated that Reform UK, a right-wing party consisting mainly of former Conservatives, had secured 23% of the vote. This places them just ahead of the Tories led by Kemi Badenoch at 19% and the Labour party at 17%.
Another recent poll conducted by More in Common suggested that Reform UK was polling as high as 30%. In contrast, Labour was at 22% and the Conservatives at 19%, according to the same survey. However, data from Pollster JL Partners showed a decrease for Reform UK to 27%.
Taking to his social media platform, Farage claimed, “Reform UK is performing well in all polls except YouGov, which is making unusual adjustments to manipulate the results.”
He further expressed his dissatisfaction in a letter to the polling company, stating, “As the leader of a national party, it is crucial for us to closely monitor the polling sector. Political surveys significantly influence public perception, especially on social media.”
YouGov refuted Farage’s accusations, asserting that their methodology, implemented prior to the last general election, accurately reflects voting patterns, including tactical voting trends. Anthony Wells, the global head of politics at YouGov, explained that their approach, which involves two voting intention questions, proved to be highly effective in predicting election outcomes.
Responding to Farage’s criticism, a source from the Labour party remarked, “Nigel Farage is quick to criticize anyone whose views do not align with his own narrative – now he is even targeting pollsters. Perhaps Nadhim Zahawi, his recent recruit from the Conservative party who co-founded the polling company, could offer him some assistance.”
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