Nigel Farage claims Reform UK could garner more than 6 million votes in election

By Aysu Bicer

LONDON (AA) - Nigel Farage, the leader of Reform UK, voiced confidence Friday that the party could secure more than 6 million votes in the upcoming general election.

The assertion follows a YouGov poll that, for the first time, placed Reform UK ahead of the Conservative Party by a percentage point.

He emphasized the growing "momentum" behind Reform UK, suggesting the surge in support is now being reflected in the polls.

"It was a delight last night to see that the inflection poll has arrived," he said at a news conference in London in the wake of the YouGov poll.

He noted that in certain regions of England, particularly in the so-called Red Wall areas, Reform UK is "significantly ahead of the Conservatives."

Farage argued that a vote for the Conservatives in traditionally Labour-supporting areas is effectively a wasted vote, as it would likely result in a Labour victory.

"If you vote Conservative in the Red Wall, you will almost certainly get Labour. We are now the challengers to Labour. We are now the real opposition," he stated.

Farage called for his inclusion in an upcoming four-way leaders' debate on the BBC and expressed his desire for a head-to-head debate with Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer.

He aims to challenge Starmer on why tackling mass migration is not among his top six priorities.

Farage conceded that a Labour victory in the election seemed inevitable but positioned himself and his party as the potential official opposition -- a status that requires being the second-largest party in parliament.

"Join the revolt - what have you got to lose?" Farage appealed to the public, urging them to support his party.

Addressing concerns about the electoral system, Farage noted the 2015 general election when the UKIP, under his leadership, secured 4 million votes but only one seat in parliament.

"Never in the history of British elections had so many votes counted for so few seats," he lamented, acknowledging the personal and political effect of the outcome.

Despite the challenges, Farage remains optimistic.

He framed the election as a crucial step toward a longer-term goal of building for the 2029 election. Regardless of the results, he pledged that Reform UK would commence campaigning for the future on July 5.

Farage argued that a disparity between votes and seats would highlight the need for systemic changes in Britain.

"If we did finish up with a huge number of votes, and a paltry number of seats, do you know what it would do? It would tell us, yet again, that Britain is broken and Britain needs reform," he sais.

He called for comprehensive reforms, including changes to the electoral system, the abolition of the House of Lords, and the introduction of referendums on key issues, similar to the Swiss model.