Almost three-quarters (75%) of Reform supporters consider migrants undermine Britain’s tradition, in comparison with simply 35% of most of the people.
Nigel Farage shares his St George’s Day message
Nigel Farage’s possibilities of turning into PM are surging with a bombshell ballot exhibiting Reform “is consuming the Tories for breakfast”, polling guru Sir John Curtice has stated. Reform UK’s surge is not any mere protest vote however a deeply ideological motion rooted in cultural conservatism, based on the main new NatCen British Social Attitudes survey.
Reform backers are notably sad with Britain’s course – 60% are “very dissatisfied” with the NHS, in comparison with 51% of the general public, 75% say Britain’s system of governing wants “an excellent deal” of enchancment — practically double the 39% nationwide determine and 27% report struggling on their family revenue, above the 22% common.
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Nigel Farage’s Reform UK have been main in latest polls (Picture: Getty)
Pollster Sir John Curtice (Picture: Getty)
Nevertheless, the survey makes clear that these grievances alone don’t clarify the get together’s rise. Reform voters stand out dramatically on cultural questions.
Almost three-quarters (75%) of Reform supporters consider migrants undermine Britain’s tradition, in comparison with simply 35% of most of the people. In the meantime, 88% say makes an attempt to offer equal alternatives to transgender individuals have “gone too far”, towards 48% nationally. And 78% consider advantages for the unemployed are too excessive, versus 60% total.
Help for Reform hits 49% amongst those that would vote to remain out of the EU, however collapses to 9% amongst these desirous to rejoin. The get together’s voter profile mirrors the 2016 Depart coalition nearly precisely: stronger amongst males (28% vs 19% girls), these aged 55 and over (27% vs 18% for 18-34), and other people whose highest qualification is under A-level (40% vs 9% of graduates).
On financial points, Reform supporters are solely modestly to the proper of the general public. For instance, they’re simply 10 factors much less possible than common to see important baby poverty in Britain.
Sir John Curtice, senior analysis fellow at NatCen and co-author of the survey, stated the findings destroy the narrative that Reform is solely a car for protest, suggesting that the get together had been consuming the Tories for “breakfast, lunch and dinner” when it got here to peeling off Proper-leaning voters.
Sir John stated: “Voters haven’t swung in direction of Reform merely due to dissatisfaction with ailing public companies and financial stagnation. The get together’s supporters are deeply ideological and have a degree of emotional attachment that neither Labour nor the Conservatives have managed to encourage in voters for many years.”
Sir John added: “The roots of the get together’s assist lie within the vote to Depart the EU, a vote that was motivated by cultural questions of nationwide id, immigration, and pleasure in British historical past. Reform has successfully absorbed the coalition of voters that voted in 2019 for Boris Johnson to ‘get Brexit carried out.’”
The veteran pollster warned that the get together’s prospects rely not simply on fixing the NHS and the financial system but in addition on persevering with to champion socially conservative values.
The survey additionally exposes a pointy collapse in public confidence in increased schooling. The proportion of Britons who consider a level isn’t well worth the money and time has greater than doubled to a file 34% in 2025, up from 14% in 2005. Solely 36% now suppose college graduates find yourself “lots higher off” financially in the long term, down from 50% twenty years in the past.
Public opinion is evenly divided on whether or not there are too many graduates within the financial system. Graduates themselves are extra possible than non-graduates to consider there are too many.
Alex Scholes, analysis director at NatCen and BSA co-author, stated universities face immense monetary strain amid debates over scholar mortgage equity and the influence of AI on jobs.
The British Social Attitudes survey was carried out between August 26 and October 6, 2025, utilizing a random pattern of 4,656 adults throughout the UK.
The findings paint an image of a politically realigned Britain the place cultural attitudes on id, immigration and social change — greater than pure financial discontent — are powering Reform’s advance.
With the get together apparently consolidating the socially conservative vote that when delivered Conservative majorities, Mr Farage’s path towards Downing Road could also be extra credible than ever.
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