Dramatic comeback by Farage electrified poll support for Reform at hefty cost to Tory vote

REFORM UK's remarkable rise and Nigel Farage's dramatic comeback saw the party storm into Parliament last night with its first batch of MPs.

- Martyn Brown

The populist party, formed from the ashes of the Brexit Party, electrified the campaign during the past six weeks.

Such has been its surge, exit polls last night predicted Reform would secure up to 13 seats.

Mr Farage claims they will, one day, be the opposition party to Labour and has set his sights on the next election, to be held in 2029 at the latest, as Reform's big target.

But their incredible rise cost the Conservatives a significant proportion of voters from the political Right. As support for the Tories plunged, Reform's soared, leaving them as the fourth biggest party in Westminster, ahead of the SNP.

One is likely to be Mr Farage himself, who is expected to win in Clacton by a handsome margin, meaning he will become an MP at the eighth attempt. On the eve of election day a YouGov poll suggested ex-Tory MP Lee Anderson could hold his Ashfield seat, but this time for Reform. Rupert Lowe was also predicted to win for Reform in Great Yarmouth, with several other Reform candidates likely to join him in the Commons.

But victory wasn't guaranteed last night for Reform UK chair and ex-leader Richard Tice in Boston and Skegness, where he was in a tight race with Tory Matt Warman.

Reform were already polling well as Rishi Sunak called the snap General Election on May 22.

But it was the dramatic return of its co-founder that sent the party into orbit. Mr Farage had ruled out standing in the General Election in his first campaign speech on May 23, promising to support Mr Tice from the sidelines instead.

But just over a week later he was back in charge with a promise to lead a "political revolt" aimed at toppling the Conservative Party.