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Reform UK bearing down on Labour as voters back harder line on migration
The Guardian ^ | Sat 8 Feb 2025 | Toby Helm

Posted on 02/08/2025 6:09:23 PM PST by MinorityRepublican

Reform UK, led by Nigel Farage, is now neck and neck with Labour largely because its stance on immigration is proving attractive to floating voters, according to the latest Opinium poll for the Observer.

The rise of the populist rightwing party is causing increasing concern in the Labour high command and among the many Labour MPs who hold seats where Reform came a close second at last summer’s general election.

The poll shows Labour on 27%, Reform UK on 26% and the Tories on 22%. The Liberal Democrats are on 11% and the Greens 8%. Reform has risen from about 20% in Opinium’s polling shortly after the general election, while the other two main parties have fallen back.

Among those who are backing Reform, the poll found that 37% say they do so because of its hardline policies on immigration and border controls.

Separately, among people who are “Reform considerers” (thinking about backing the party), about 72% said they were doing so because of the party’s immigration and borders policies. This is more than twice the percentage cited for any other policy issue. Roughly 36% cited Reform UK’s anti-EU stance as the main reason for considering backing the party.

At last summer’s general election two of Reform UK’s five main policy pledges were to do with migration. It said it would freeze non-essential immigration, with exceptions only for essential healthcare workers.

On the issue of small boats smuggling migrants across the Channel, the party said it would “pick up illegal migrants out of boats and take them back to France”, and added that “zero illegal migrants” would be resettled in the UK.

(Excerpt) Read more at theguardian.com ...


TOPICS: United Kingdom
KEYWORDS:

1 posted on 02/08/2025 6:09:23 PM PST by MinorityRepublican
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To: MinorityRepublican

Like what has been stated. It is who counts the votes.


2 posted on 02/08/2025 6:13:24 PM PST by Parley Baer
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To: MinorityRepublican

There is no way to oust Labor short of a miracle for 4 years. This is all idle talk


3 posted on 02/08/2025 6:14:34 PM PST by BigEdLB (Adults are in charge )
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To: MinorityRepublican

Our Founders were wise in requiring an election for the entire House of Representatives and 1/3 of the Senate every two years.

But in the UK, elections can be as far as five years apart. And since the last election was in 2024, Labour can hold off calling for an election until 2029. So they’ve got plenty of time to ignore what the public wants, and continue to drive the UK into the ground.


4 posted on 02/08/2025 6:21:10 PM PST by Leaning Right (It’s morning in America. Again.)
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To: MinorityRepublican

later


5 posted on 02/08/2025 6:34:07 PM PST by Gay State Conservative (Import The Third World,Become The Third World)
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To: BigEdLB

You are correct. Labour has a solid majority in Parliament. So why would they call an election before August of 2029? It would only be if they thought they could increase that majority.

Labour is in the catbird seat. And will be for years to come.


6 posted on 02/08/2025 6:34:48 PM PST by Leaning Right (It’s morning in America. Again.)
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To: BigEdLB
Yup...a huge majority.The Maoists have another 4.5 years to bring their dreams to fruition.
7 posted on 02/08/2025 6:37:07 PM PST by Gay State Conservative (Import The Third World,Become The Third World)
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To: Leaning Right
Labour is in the catbird seat. And will be for years to come.

What I'll expect to happen is that Labour will form a coalition with their opposing party - the Tories so Reform will be out of power even if Reform gets up to 40% of the seats.

Remember Reform is the "far right" party.

8 posted on 02/08/2025 6:38:50 PM PST by MinorityRepublican
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To: MinorityRepublican
The poll shows Labour on 27%, Reform UK on 26% and the Tories on 22%. The Liberal Democrats are on 11% and the Greens 8%.

Britain had a solid two party system for over 100 years, but 14 years of Tory rule was so bad, a multi-party system has emerged.

9 posted on 02/08/2025 7:20:19 PM PST by Right_Wing_Madman
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To: Right_Wing_Madman
Britain had a solid two party system for over 100 years, but 14 years of Tory rule was so bad, a multi-party system has emerged.

The Tories became Labour Lite when Tony Blair became the PM. They did nothing to "stop the boats".

10 posted on 02/08/2025 7:23:14 PM PST by MinorityRepublican
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To: Leaning Right

“Labour is in the catbird seat. And will be for years to come.”

Unless the Muslims split off and start their own party, but they’re in the catbirds seat now.


11 posted on 02/08/2025 10:50:51 PM PST by rxh4n1
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To: MinorityRepublican

“ The poll shows Labour on 27%, Reform UK on 26% and the Tories on 22%. ”

If people abandon the feckless Tories for Reform, then Farage wins in a landslide.


12 posted on 02/09/2025 2:02:26 AM PST by SauronOfMordor (Either you will rule. Or you will be ruled. There is no other choice.)
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To: MinorityRepublican

I don’t think they will. Unlike Afd and National Rally Farage has been absolutely ruthless in keeping them “respectable” by cracking down on any hint of extremism or toxicity.

It has denied his opponents on the centre/centre right the opportunity to smear him as “far right” and many Tories are openly saying that Nigel has valid concerns that their party needs to address with some senior Tories like Suella Braverman openly mulling the idea of joining Reform. Such a thing would be unimaginable with the German CDU and Afd or between NR and one of the mainstream French tight parties.

This is why, despite the criticism on here by many Freepers, Nigel Farage has been smart in keeping Tommy Robinson at arms length. Doing so has meant that the Tories don’t have the same excuse to close ranks with Labour against them.


13 posted on 02/09/2025 2:11:24 AM PST by sinsofsolarempirefan
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To: MinorityRepublican

Britain doesn’t have a knife problem, they have a demographics problem. Fix the demographics problem and the knife crime issue will work itself out. Same with the 13/52 in the US.


14 posted on 02/09/2025 4:06:12 AM PST by nonliberal (Russia is not my enemy.)
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To: MinorityRepublican

The UK’s Deep State just postponed a number of Council elections...

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2025/feb/05/england-council-elections-postponed-local-government-shake-up

No elections until you vote the way the UK’s Deep State wants you to vote.

That is all


15 posted on 02/09/2025 4:17:10 AM PST by mewzilla (Swing away, Mr. President, swing away!)
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To: sinsofsolarempirefan
I don’t think they will. Unlike Afd and National Rally Farage has been absolutely ruthless in keeping them “respectable” by cracking down on any hint of extremism or toxicity.

I think if it comes down to it, even if Farage was "perfect" in keeping his party disciplined like you said, I believe that the UK government will conspire to keep Reform out unless they manage to get 50% of the vote.

From what I've seen in the Tories, they're more likely to stick with status quo in the UK.

In fact, I could see a scenario where Labour and the Tories will have a power-sharing arrangement, Labour will get the PM, the Deputy Prime Minister will be a Tory.

David Cameron and Nick Clegg established a coalition government from 2010-2015 with the Tories and the Liberal Democrats sharing power.

16 posted on 02/09/2025 8:40:50 AM PST by MinorityRepublican
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To: MinorityRepublican

BETTER LATE THAN NEVER-—

BUT IS IT TOO LATE TO SAVE THE UK???


17 posted on 02/09/2025 9:58:48 AM PST by ridesthemiles (not giving up on TRUMP---EVER)
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To: MinorityRepublican

“Labour” is Limey for “Marxist.”


18 posted on 02/09/2025 1:30:46 PM PST by Paal Gulli
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To: MinorityRepublican

The Tories relied on the Lib Dems because they had to, not because they wanted to.

It would be the same with Reform. They would do a deal in order to gain a share of power.


19 posted on 02/11/2025 4:43:39 AM PST by sinsofsolarempirefan
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