Politics latest news: Red Wall support for Reform UK hits record high

Support for Reform UK in key Red Wall seats has hit a record high, according to a new survey conducted by Redfield & Wilton Strategies. 

The poll, carried out between April 13-14, put Reform on 18 per cent, just six points behind the Tories on 24 per cent. 

Reform was up by two points when compared to the company’s previous Red Wall poll from March 16 while the Tories were unchanged. 

Labour maintained its position in first place but support for the party has fallen. Labour was on 44 per cent, down by four points, to give the party a 20 point lead over the Tories. 

The continued rise of Reform in the Red Wall is likely to prompt alarm bells in Conservative Party HQ, amid Tory fears the former could cost the latter votes. 

The seats played a huge role in propelling Boris Johnson to victory in 2019 and a Tory wipeout in the constituencies would likely torpedo Rishi Sunak’s hopes of staying in No 10. 

The Red Wall refers to mostly northern, traditionally Labour-voting seats that the Tories won at the 2019 general election. Redfield polled 40 seats in total. The Tories won all but one of them in 2019 and then won Hartlepool at a by-election. 

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