Nigel Farage has written to the head of the British Polling Council amid claims some leading pollsters are effectively suppressing Reform UK in their surveys.
While some reputable pollsters are recording the insurgent rightwing party as high as 17%, just two points off the Tories’ support, others see Reform UK much further behind at around 12%.
Taking to Twitter this morning, Mr Farage blasted leading pollsters such as Savanta and Opinium as they refuse to prompt for Reform UK when they ask voters who they will back.
Instead, they list the other main parties such as the Tories, Labour and Liberal Democrats, but voters much choose ‘other’ before getting the opportunity to voice support for Reform UK.
Mr Farage accused these pollsters of wanting to “suppress” his increasingly popular party, demanding: “It must stop”.
This evening The Express has seen a letter from Mr Farage to the British Polling Council in which he demands clarification on which companies are not promoting for Reform UK.
The terse letter to Professor Jane Green reads: “In this election, not all polling companies have made clear whether they prompt Reform under “Other” or, as they should, in their initial voting intention question.
“While debating the merits of this approach falls under the purview of the Market Research Society, the transparency regarding whether polling companies are pursuing this approach is under your purview.
“Can you please write to your members to ensure greater transparency on this matter?
“Your members must be honest with the public as to how they are measuring (or suppressing) the Reform vote.”
While there remains differential levels of support for Reform UK depending on which poll you look at, all have recorded a sharp rise in backing for the party since Mr Farage made the shock announcement that he was taking over as leader and standing in Clacton.
After seven attempts to get elected to the House of Commons, Mr Farage now looks on course to fulfil his life goal in the Essex seaside constituency.
Britain Elects forecasts that Mr Farage will take the seat with 29.8% of the vote, pipping the Tory incumbent’s 28.2%.
While Reform is currently on course to win just one seat, any further rise in support could lead to other victories.
Richard Tice, who is standing in the Lincolnshire seat of Boston and Skegness, is currently on course to lose to the Tories by just 3%.