Full Breakdown
Conservatives Push Tactical Voting to Block Reform UK Ahead of the Next Election
By Drooid · · How we work
Tactical Voting Strategy Unveiled at Conference Fringe
At a fringe event hosted by the More in Common group during the Conservative Party conference in Birmingham, senior Tories outlined a coordinated plan to prevent Reform UK from winning seats in the next general election. Participants included Shadow Scottish Secretary Harriet Cross, Aberdeen South MP Douglas Lumsden, polling expert Lord Hayward, former West Midlands Mayor Andy Street and other activists. Lumsden argued the Conservatives must position themselves as the “second-place” party to attract voters who want to stop Reform, while Hayward warned that without a clear two-party message, voters in constituencies such as Bromley and Bexley could elect a Reform council.
Background: Reform UK’s Rising Profile and Tory Concerns
Reform UK, led by Nigel Farage, has risen in opinion polls and is now projected to finish second behind Labour and ahead of the Conservatives in a likely hung parliament. Party leader Kemi Badenoch has repeatedly said she would rather trigger another election than enter a coalition with Reform, describing the party as “neck deep in scandal.” The Conservatives view Reform as a threat that could split the right-leaning vote and enable Labour to form government.
Poll Data on Voter Intentions
Polling presented at the fringe event indicated:
- 34 % of Conservative voters would vote to block Labour, while 30 % would block Reform UK.
- 30 % of Labour voters and 37 % of Liberal Democrat voters said they would tactically back a Conservative candidate to stop Reform UK.
These figures suggest a sizable “anti-Reform” bloc that could be mobilised through targeted messaging.
Official Party Position on Alliances with Reform UK
Badenoch has consistently rejected any pre-election deal with Reform UK. In a BBC interview she said, “If you want Conservative, you have to vote Conservative. I have said we’d have another election if there was no overall majority.” She added that Reform’s scandals make an alliance difficult. Lumsden reiterated the party’s strategy of being the second-place option for voters who want to stop Reform.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
The polling figures for anti-Reform intent vary slightly between sources (34 % vs. 30 % of Conservative voters). No source provides a definitive breakdown by constituency, leaving uncertainty about how the tactical voting message will translate into actual seat outcomes.
What’s Next
The Conservatives plan to fund the National Insurance cut for young workers at an estimated £2.8 billion per year, while also proposing a “First Job Bonus” that redirects the first £5,000 of NI contributions into a savings account. A budget is scheduled for October 28, when the government will outline financing for these measures. The next general election must be held by August 2029, and the party hopes that a focused anti-Reform campaign will position it as the sole viable alternative to Labour in a potentially hung parliament.