Rishi Sunak loses 1 in 5 of Boris Johnson's voters to Reform as Tory MPs mull defections

Pressure on Rishi Sunak is mounting after a new poll revealed almost one in five Tory voters have switched to Reform UK.

The Redfield and Wilton poll suggests that less than half (47 percent) of Conservative voters from the 2019 election would vote Tory next time, while 19 percent would back Reform UK – the highest figure yet.

Meanwhile, an Ipsos Mori poll put Labour on a massive 49 percent (up eight), 22 points ahead of the Tories on 27 (up three).

One former minister described the polls as “a crisis of confidence in Sunak”.

The stunning poll figures have come as Tory MPs told the Daily Express they believe there “could still be money on the table” from Reform UK for potential defectors.

With Conservative MPs debating whether to try to replace Mr Sunak, another row has broken out again over disputed claims that Reform leader Richard Tice offered Conservative MPs cash to defect to his party.

It is claimed that he offered them five years of MP wages as a consultant for the party totalling £420,720 (under current MP pay) if they defected and lost their seat as a result.

Mr Tice has continued to vehemently deny the accusations, claiming that Tory whips have “put MPs up” to make false accusations about him and his party.

However, he has not hidden the fact that he is in regular contact with Conservative MPs and is hopeful that a number will defect ahead of the election later this year.

With Reform closing on the Tories in the polls with as much as 13 percent and Labour holding a lead of 20 points or more, the prospect of Mr Sunak leading his party to an election wipeout appears to be increasing.

There are fears among Conservative MPs that if Nigel Farage steps back into front-line politics as Reform’s leader and makes a bid for Parliament himself, it could take away so many votes that the Tories will face a wipeout.

Sources have suggested that Mr Farage could target Clacton, in Essex, where UKIP won when he was leader.

Lee Anderson, the former Tory deputy chairman, has previously claimed that he was offered the five-year deal by Reform but refused it.

“It was a lot of money, but it didn’t tempt me,” he told Express.co.uk.

Another Conservative MP on the Right of the party who claimed to have been targeted by Reform UK said: “I was first contacted by an intermediary and then I had two meetings with Richard Tice where we discussed it.

“The meetings were very friendly, and they offered me five years of MP’s salary if I lost my seat after defecting.

“But I am a Conservative, I feel part of the Conservative family and even though I am not entirely happy about the small boats and immigration I would rather stay and fight from inside.”

But the MP added: “A number of us feel we are not getting the support we need to win back our seats and I believe the Reform money could still be on the table, but I won’t be taking it.”

Another MP on the Right described that they would not have switched because “political parties are a bit like a football team, you pick a side and stay loyal”.

Mr Tice denied the claims.

He said: “These claims are not correct.

“I do not comment on any talks, save there are a number of very worried, unhappy Tory MPs on the Right who know they will be redundant if they stand as a Tory in the general election.”

Reform UK have made it clear that it plans to stand candidates against every Conservative MP at the next election with the aim of wiping out the Tories.

Mr Tice describes Mr Sunak’s current government as “con-socialists”. He has accused it of betraying Brexit and failing by increasing taxes, as well as wedding itself to green policies.

Reform’s deputy leader Ben Habib is currently trying to win the Wellingborough by-election, where former Brexiteer Tory Peter Bone was forced to stand down after a recall petition following his suspension from Parliament.

Mr Habib, a former Brexit Party MEP, has told the Daily Express that the by-election is “a referendum on the Sunak government”.

Mr Habib said he has “huge support” in the by-election, “mostly from angry Conservative voters”.

While no Conservative MP has indicated whether he or she would be willing to defect, a number of Brexiteers in Red Wall seats claim that they have been abandoned by party bosses.

One Red Wall Tory said: “Basically all the money is going south. They are worried about the Lib Dems and the so-called Blue Wall.

“I can’t even get a campaign manager for my seat, even though I know I can hold on to it with a bit of help.”

Another Red Wall MP noted: “If you look at the last local elections in May last year, we did better in the North and Midlands, it was the South where there is a major problem. That means that in a wipeout scenario the money would be better spent defending our constituencies.”

A third MP added: “This is why suggestions Reform are offering money is tempting to colleagues. I don’t think anyone would defect but if MPs have nothing to lose, you never know.”