Reform UK has hit its highest ever polling number and is now just six points behind the Tories after they suspended Lee Anderson for saying ‘Islamists’ had ‘got control’ of London mayor Sadiq Khan.
The right-wing party, run by Richard Tice, is currently polling at 14 percentage points compared to just one last week, according to a YouGov survey published yesterday.
The results of the poll, which was carried out on February 28 and February 29, suggest that Reform UK has benefited from the fallout following Mr Anderson’s suspension from the Conservative party.
Mr Tice reacted to the poll on X, formerly known as Twitter. He said: ‘Our first 14 per cent national poll for Reform – just 6 per cent behind the toxic Tories.’
Mr Anderson lost the whip on February 24 after he refused to apologise for ‘Islamaphobic, racist’ remarks he made on GB News.
Reform UK has hit its highest ever polling number and is now just six points behind the Tories
Their rise in the polls comes after the Tories suspended Lee Anderson for saying ‘Islamists’ had ‘got control’ of London mayor Sadiq Khan
Lee Anderson (pictured) said on GB News that Sadiq Khan – the first Muslim Mayor of London – is controlled by Islamists and that he has ‘given our capital city away to his mates’
The former Conservative party chairman said: ‘I don’t actually believe that these Islamists have got control of our country, but what I do believe is they’ve got control of Khan and they’ve got control of London and they’ve got control of Starmer as well.
‘Again, this stems with Khan, he’s actually given our capital city away to his mates.
‘Beware, because if you let Labour in through the back door, expect more of this and expect our cities to be taken over by these lunatics.’
Mr Tice has reportedly been in talks with Mr Anderson who has said he ‘speaks for millions of people who are appalled by what is happening to our country’.
However, Sadiq Khan has hit back at the MP for Ashfield accusing him of ‘pouring fuel on the fire of anti-Muslim hatred’.
Speaking on Sky News, he said: ‘We’ve seen over the last two days confirmation that over the last few months there had been an increase in anti-Muslim cases by more than 330 per cent.
‘I am afraid the deafening silence from Rishi Sunak and from the cabinet is them condoning this racism.
Sadiq Khan has hit back at the MP for Ashfield accusing him of ‘pouring fuel on the fire of anti-Muslim hatred’
The Mayor criticised Prime Minister Rishi Sunak (pictured) for his ‘deafening silence’
‘I am afraid it confirms to many people across the country that there’s a hierarchy when it comes to racism.
‘I think it’s really important to call out antisemitism, it’s really important to call out misogyny, it’s really important to call out homophobia, but surely it must also be important to call out anti-Muslim hatred.
‘My concern is there will be people across the country – people who are Muslim or look like Muslims – who will be really concerned about entering into politics because they know that if these are the comments being made about me by a senior Conservative, what chance do they have?’
Following his suspension, Mr Anderson said: ‘Following a call with the Chief Whip, I understand the difficult position that I have put both he and the Prime Minister in with regard to my comments.
Lee Anderson has been suspended by the Conservative party after he refused to apologise for ‘Islamophobic, racist’ comments where he claimed that London Mayor Sadiq Khan was controlled by ‘Islamists’
‘I fully accept that they had no option but to suspend the whip in these circumstances.
‘However, I will continue to support the Government’s efforts to call out extremism in all its forms – be that anti-semitism or islamophobia.’
He said he was not sure why members of the cabinet were not ‘calling this out’ and condemning Anderson’s words.
The YouGov poll showed that the Conservatives are currently sitting on 20 percentage points, whereas Labour remains well ahead on 46.
This is despite a difficult week for Keir Starmer who has been criticised for his handling of an anti-Semitism row in Rochdale and also for ditching a flagship £28 billion green spending pledge.
YouGov said: ‘This is Reform UK’s highest vote intention share to date, with the party currently taking 21 per cent of those who voted Conservative in 2019.
‘The Tories are holding on to just 35 per cent of their previous voters, with 12 per cent going to Labour and 20 per cent unsure.’
Reform UK’s success in the YouGov poll comes after the party recorded its highest-ever level of support with Savanta earlier this week.
The data and market research company put Reform UK on 10 per cent of the vote.
Chris Hopkins, Savanta’s political research director said: ‘Ahead of the Rochdale by-election and a make-or-break spring budget, our findings will not make pretty reading for the Conservative Party.
‘Labour’s wobble, if there ever was one, appears to have stabilised.’
A poll by Savanta earlier this week put Reform UK on 10 per cent of the vote
Reform UK leader, Richard Tice at the Rochdale by-election on Thursday
Despite Reform, showing a rise in popularity in the polls, the party recorded just 6.3 per cent of the vote in the Rochdale by-election
‘Reform recording their highest ever vote share in a Savanta poll is notable, but I remain sceptical of their electoral prowess.
‘They certainly have the potential to really hurt the Conservatives at the next election, but their voters are not just Tories-in-disguise.
‘Mobilising their supporters will be incredibly important if they are to achieve anything like a 10 per cent vote share at the actual General Election.’
However, despite Reform, showing a rise in popularity in the polls, the party recorded just 6.3 per cent of the vote in the Rochdale by-election on Thursday.
Mr Tice claimed afterwards that the by-election – which was won by George Galloway, of the Workers Party of Britain, with a pro-Palestinian campaign – was not ‘free and fair’ after his candidate, Simon Danczuk and his campaigners allegedly received death threats.