August M
Reform UK, previously known as the Brexit Party, was founded in 2018. In 2021, the party rebranded as Reform UK, as it is known today. Since its rebranding, the party has risen in popularity at a remarkably fast pace.
Reform UK’s rapid rise in the polls has begun to reshape Britain’s political landscape, challenging the dominance of the traditional parties and raising new questions about the country’s future direction.
A New Britain Emerges: Reform UK Leads as Voters Turn Away from the Old Parties
Since the 2024 general election, which brought Keir Starmer to power as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, the Labour Party has suffered a significant decline in recent opinion polls. According to polling data published by Politico, the numbers speak for themselves.
In the 2024 general election, the results were as follows: Labour received 34% of the vote, the Conservative Party 24%, and Reform UK 14%, making them the three largest parties at the time.
Today, the situation looks entirely different. In the most recent polls, updated on December 8, 2025, Reform UK leads with 27%, followed by Labour on 18% and the Conservatives on 17%.
This shift highlights a rapidly changing political landscape in Britain and reflects a growing sense among voters that they want something different from their government.
Reform UK as a Gravitational Force on the Right
The Conservative Party has not been punished in the polls in the same way as the Labour Party. This could suggest that the party has been relatively successful at adapting to and understanding the needs of the everyday British voter. However, another explanation may be the existence of Reform UK.
By its presence, Reform UK pulls the right-oriented side of British politics further to the right, acting as a kind of political gravitational force.
This draws more voters toward right-wing ideas overall. At the same time, voters who find Reform UK too extreme may choose to remain with, or return to, the Conservative Party instead.
One could therefore argue that the Conservatives are, at least in part, being shielded from heavier losses by Reform UK’s ability to attract and mobilise right-wing voters.
Especially when compared to Labour’s sharp decline in recent polls, this suggests that Reform UK has been highly effective at reshaping the dynamics of right-wing politics in Britain.
What Does Reform UK Intend to Do on the EU and Ukraine?
It’s difficult to know exactly what Reform UK’s foreign policy is since they are largely occupied with immigration as their main concern.
However, Nigel Farage has made several statements that can be used to assess what his approach might be if he were prime minister. He has said it is “probably essential” that Ukraine joins NATO, Politico reports.
However, Farage has also stated that ‘we have provoked this war’, referring to the actions of NATO and the European Union.
At the same time, he has shown common ground with other Western leaders by suggesting that a secure path forward for Ukraine — one that could ensure lasting peace — would be NATO membership as a means of deterring further Russian expansion.
What Reform UK Voters Think About Ukraine
More importantly, however, what do Reform UK voters think about support for Ukraine? According to YouGov, voters who support Reform UK are significantly less likely to describe themselves as anti-Russian when compared to voters from other parties.
When comparing Reform UK voters with Conservative voters, only 48% of Reform UK supporters identify as anti-Russian, compared with 79% of Conservative voters.
This does not directly mean that Reform UK voters oppose supporting Ukraine, but it does suggest they may be more reluctant to back financial aid or the deployment of peacekeeping forces.
These findings align closely with Farage’s own rhetoric, particularly when he implies that Russia was, to some extent, pushed into the conflict by Western actions.
At the same time, Farage has also stated in a BBC interview that Britain should be prepared to shoot down Russian aircraft if they enter NATO airspace.
As a result, while Reform UK’s precise foreign policy remains uncertain, Farage’s statements suggest a position that is broadly supportive of Ukraine, but far more cautious and less interventionist than that of Britain’s traditional governing parties
So what now?
Taken together, Reform UK’s rise highlights a broader transformation within British politics, one in which voter frustration with the established parties has opened space for new and more disruptive forces.
While the party’s foreign policy remains underdeveloped, Nigel Farage’s statements and the attitudes of Reform UK voters suggest a position that is neither overtly pro-Russia nor fully aligned with the interventionist consensus that has characterised UK policy since the start of the war in Ukraine.
Instead, Reform UK appears to represent a more sceptical and cautious approach, shaped by concerns over NATO expansion, Western responsibility, and the limits of military involvement.
As the party continues to gain support, this ambiguity itself may become one of its most consequential features — with significant implications for Britain’s role in Europe and its commitment to Ukraine
Sources: Politico-YouGov
