Reform Party leader Nigel Farage appears in the boxing ring on July 3, 2024 in Clacton-on-Sea, England.
Dan Kitwood Getty Images News | Getty Images
One of the biggest surprises on UK election night so far has been the gains seen by the far-right British Reform party, which is predicted to win a large number of parliamentary seats and has scored well in early results.
Exit polls show that the populist party led by Brexiteer Nigel Farage will win 13 seats in the British parliament, an unexpected number as it failed to secure any in the 2019 general election.
Early results also show strong benefits. Of the 650 constituents, 22 have been called as of 2:07 am London time with Reform in second place with 15.2% of the vote.
In a video posted on X titled: “The rebellion against the establishment is underway,” Farage said the gains the party has seen so far are “almost unbelievable.”
“What does that mean? It means we will win seats, many, many seats,” he said. “The mainstream media is rejected, as are our political parties. This will be 6 million plus votes. This vote is huge.”
UK Reform, which has a hard-line stance on immigration, was born from the Brexit Party. The latter was founded by Nigel Farage and focused on calling for a “no-deal Brexit” between 2016 and 2021; after the completion of the Brexit process, he campaigned on issues such as opposition to the Covid lockdown.
Farage, who has served in the European Union parliament but has repeatedly failed to win a seat in the British legislature, will step down as party leader in March 2021. After previously saying he would not run as an MP in 2024 to focus on supporting Donald Trump’s US presidential campaign, he reversed course in June and said he would stand down and resume his role as leader of the British Reformation.
Many analysts say that the return of a well-known figure will boost the party at the expense of the Conservatives.
David Bull, deputy leader of Reform UK, told the BBC last night that pollsters had underestimated the party’s support, given the number of people who would support a Brexit vote.
“I think what you’re seeing is actually the shamed Reformists coming out in droves. We saw this with Brexit, no, the shamed Brexiteers, so the pollsters caught on and once again they’ve been caught. ,” said Bull. “If that’s true and we win 13 seats that’s incredible.”
“Shy” voters refer to people who are not open in the polls about which way they will vote.
Exit polls show that Farage will – after seven previous failed attempts – win a parliamentary seat in this election.
