One third of Britons say they would view Reform UK more negatively if Liz Truss were to join the party

A new Ipsos poll reveals that one third (34%) of Britons say they would view Reform UK more negatively if former prime minister Liz Truss defected to the party. This includes one in three (33%) 2024 Reform UK voters and almost one in five (18%) 2024 Conservative voters. 

More broadly, two in five Britons (40%) find it unacceptable for a Member of Parliament (MP) to defect to another party. The poll, conducted online among 1,079 British adults aged 18-75 from April 25-28, 2025, further explores public perception of specific defection scenarios.

Key findings 

• Overall unacceptability: Four in ten (40%) Britons deem MP defections unacceptable, while a quarter (25%) find them acceptable. Older voters aged 55-65 are most likely to consider defections unacceptable, with almost half (47%) disapproving of the practice. 
• Hypothetical defections: The public expresses the most negative reactions to potential defections from Labour to Reform UK, with just over four in ten (44%) saying it would make them view the defecting politician more negatively. Defections from Labour to the Conservatives come in second, with 38% saying it would make them view the politician more negatively.

• Impact on party perception: Elsewhere in the poll, people were also asked about how specific Conservative politicians (Liz Truss, Suella Braverman, or Robert Jenrick) defecting to Reform UK would impact their perceptions of Reform. The public is most likely to say that such a move would not make a difference to their views of Reform UK, regardless of the politician in question. However, 34% of Britons say that Liz Truss defecting to Reform would make them view the party more negatively.

• 2024 Conservatives think that Suella Braverman or Robert Jenrick defecting to Reform UK would have a net positive impact on their view of the party. 32% think Braverman defecting would have a positive impact on their view of Reform UK, 23% negative. For Robert Jenrick the figures were 27% and 18% respectively. In contrast, they were net negative at the prospect of Liz Truss (18% positive impact, 26% negative).

Commenting on the findings, Keiran Pedley, Director of UK Politics at Ipsos said:

Speculation continues to mount about potential defections to Reform UK in the wake of the recent local elections and their surge in support. But MPs and political parties should be aware of the potential risks that defections can bring. Our research suggests that switching parties’ risks alienating a substantial portion of the electorate, regardless of the specific circumstances. For Reform UK, accepting major Conservative figures – such as Liz Truss – could mean negatively hurt their brand. On the other hand, Suella Braverman joining Reform would make a significant number of Conservative voters view Reform more positively.

Technical note: 

• Ipsos interviewed a representative sample of 1,079 online adults aged 18-75 in Great Britain between the 25th-28th of April 2025. 
• Data has been weighted to match the population. All polls are subject to a wide range of potential sources of error.