Half of Reform UK voters don’t believe in the Covid vaccine, poll shows

Half of Reform UK voters have little or no confidence in Covid-19 vaccines, compared with the general public who overwhelmingly trust the jabs, a YouGov poll has found.

Those who back Nigel Farage’s party have a “distinct” attitude towards the vaccines, with 50 per cent saying they do not trust them.

That compares to 71 per cent of the public who said they trust the Covid jab a great deal or a fair amount, and just 24 per cent of voters who said they do not trust it much or at all. Reform voters are also significantly more likely to not have been vaccinated against Covid during the pandemic, the poll found.

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Covid-19 vaccines all met strict standards of safety, quality and effectiveness, according to the NHS, having been extensively reviewed in both adults and children by the independent Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).

While there have been some extremely rare side effects linked to the jabs, experts have warned they should not be used to undermine vaccination efforts as a whole.

In a bid to win over vaccine-sceptics, Mr Farage’s party promised in its 2024 Contract With The People manifesto to launch a public inquiry into “deaths and vaccine harms”.

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YouGov’s survey revealed that, aside from Reform, a cross-party consensus in support of the Covid vaccines exists with other voters. Between Labour, the Liberal Democrats and the Conservatives, just 14 to 18 per cent of voters distrust the Covid jabs, compared with Reform’s 50 per cent figure.

And, more than one in five Reform voters said they did not get vaccinated or cannot recall getting vaccinated against Covid, compared to just three per cent of Conservative voters.

The polling comes ahead of the fifth anniversary of Boris Johnson’s decision to shut pubs, restaurants and shops and plunge Britain into lockdown to stop the spread of the virus.

Sir Keir Starmer last week said: “As we mark five years since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, I know for many there is deep grief and loss that may never be relieved.”

The prime minister added: “Today, we come together to remember, reflect and pay tribute to the sacrifices made by people across our country.”