A new poll shows Reform UK is the most popular political party among former state school pupils. The results were part of polling firm More in Common’s first survey of voting intention by school type.
Luke Tryl, director of More in Common, said the response showing Nigel Farage’s popularity among ex-state pupils “speaks to a wider shift in politics”. It comes after the Reform leader claimed his party’s success in England’s local elections in May marked “the end of two-party politics”. Reform won more than 600 seats and took control of 10 local authorities and has continued to top polls in recent months.
The new poll by More in Common shows a third of former state school pupils would vote for Reform if a general election was called tomorrow.
This is considerably more than 20% who said they would vote for Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour party if an election was to be held imminently, according to The Telegraph.
Mr Tryl told the newspaper: “One of the things we know is that Reform poll very well with people who are understandably very unhappy with the status quo.
“The truth is we have exceptionally volatile electorates, and I think the battle of the next few years is going to be which party can convince people it can bring about the change that they need.”
He said he believes the next election will be decided by the party which shows it can “authentically speak for the working class, the middle class [and] show they get their concerns”.
Mr Tryl said he believes “plain-speaking” Mr Farage is currently demonstrating this.
“If Labour are going to get back in again they need to show that they get it,” he added.
Reform is also proving popular with ex-grammar school students, according to the poll.
It found 34% would vote for Reform if an election was called tomorrow, with Labour receiving 14% — behind both the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats.
However, the survey found Labour is the most popular party among former private school pupils (38%).
A quarter said they would back Reform if an election was to be held shortly, while 17% said they would vote Tory, The Telegraph reported.
The survey of 2,037 adults was conducted earlier this month and asked respondents where they attended school between the ages of 12 to 16.