Nigel Farage claims Reform can take 'almost the whole Conservative vote' at next election

By Oli Smith, News Reporter

Farage detailed why the Tories should be panicking about Reform replacing the Conservatives (Image: GB NEWS)

Reform UK could take "almost the whole Conservative vote" at the next general election, according to Nigel Farage. He told GB News that he could "not rule out" an unprecedented swing from the Tories to Reform and a complete collapse of the ruling party. Mr Farage argued that Reform was becoming "the challenger to the Labour Party". This echoes Reform UK leader Richard Tice's claim that his party is becoming "the real opposition" to Labour in the wake of the local election results.

Mr Farage detailed why the Tory MPs should be panicking about Reform replacing the Conservatives.

The former politician said: "When voters go to the polls this year, the argument that a vote for Reform is a wasted vote has almost disappeared overnight in the Midlands, the North and I think South Wales is in that category. The Tories cannot win the election. The Tory press cannot squeeze the Reform vote because they are going to lose anyway."

Richard Tice hailed the party for winning 17 percent of votes across the country (Image: Getty)

Mr Farage continued: “Reform will be the challenger to the Labour Party. Labour are a long way ahead at the moment. Reform will need almost the whole Conservative vote with it to have a chance of winning those seats.

“The way politics is changing so quickly, I wouldn’t rule it out.”

Reform finished a strong third in the Blackpool South by-election, with its candidate 117 votes shy of the Conservatives in second place.

In Sunderland, Reform pushed the Conservatives into third place in 16 councillor seats.

Polling expert Sir John Curtice said that Reform's impact on the Tories could be six times more devastating at the general election.

Sir John told the Telegraph: "In the local elections the Conservative vote fell most heavily in those wards where Reform fielded a candidate. The only silver lining for Tory HQ was that Reform only contested one in six of the wards where there was an election on Thursday. A full slate would have been even more devastating."

Mr Tice celebrated his party's success on Friday, telling the BBC: "We are fast becoming the real opposition - in red wall seats, in the north of England and, indeed, I think in the Midlands - to the Labour Party. We're on the way up and it's quite clear that the Tories are on the way down."

He hailed the party for winning 17 percent of votes across the country - a number he expects to rise.

Rishi Sunak admitted that the election results were 'disappointing' (Image: Getty)

Meanwhile, Rishi Sunak has said the election results were "disappointing" but claimed that Ben Houchen's re-election as Tees Valley mayor showed that general election voters "are going to stick with us".

The results of mayoral elections in the West Midlands, London, Greater Manchester and other regions will be announced later today.

So far, the Conservatives have lost control of 10 councils and more than 400 councillors.