Labour expects surge of ‘shy Reform’ voters in some northern and Midlands seats

Labour expects surge of ‘shy Reform’ voters in some northern and Midlands seats

Activists forecast margins of less than 2,000 votes separating them from Farage’s party – or even a shock defeat

How boundary changes may affect key constituencies

Labour candidates and activists are privately braced for a surge in support for Nigel Farage’s hard-right Reform UK in north-west England and the Midlands, with some forecasting a margin of less than 2,000 votes between the two parties in some seats in Thursday’s general election.

In certain Conservative-held seats, campaigners told the Guardian that the Tories were likely to be pushed into third place by Reform, with one citing the phenomenon of “shy Reformers” affecting the results.

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