General election latest: Farage insists Reform will win seats on July 4

Rishi Sunak has warned Tory supporters considering voting for Reform that they will end up putting Sir Keir Starmer in Downing Street, writes Daniel Martin. 

Responding to last night’s YouGov poll putting Reform ahead of the Tories for the first time, Mr Sunak said those voting for Reform were “handing a blank cheque to Labour”.

And he pointed out that the Tory and Labour manifestos showed a “massive difference on tax”. 

Mr Sunak was asked about the survey while at a summit of G7 leaders in Puglia, southern Italy. He said: “Ultimately, if you’re not going to vote for a Conservative candidate that makes it more likely that Keir Starmer is in No 10.”

The Prime Minister went on: “We are only halfway through this election, so I’m still fighting very hard for every vote.  

“And what that poll shows is – the only poll that matters is the one on July 4 – but if that poll was replicated on July 4, it would be handing Labour a blank cheque to tax everyone, tax their home, their pension, their car, their family, and I’ll be fighting very hard to make sure that doesn’t happen.  

“And actually, when I’ve been out and about talking to people, they do understand that a vote for anyone who is not a Conservative candidate is just a vote to put Keir Starmer in No 10.

“So if you want action on lower taxes, lower migration, protected pensions or a sensible approach to net zero you’re only going to get that by voting Conservative.”