General election latest: Nigel Farage red-hot favourite to win BBC debate as Reform surges.
The 90-minute debate, presented by Mishal Husain, will be broadcast on BBC One and BBC News in the UK from 7.30pm to 9pm.
Nigel Farage is strongly favoured to wipe the floor with Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner and Tory cabinet minister Penny Mordaunt when they square off in tonight’s BBC debate, a bookmaker said.
Mr Farage has been hoovering up the column inches this week after confirming he will be standing in Clacton - the eighth time he has stood for Parliament. And just as the 59-year-old is being heavily backed to emerge triumphant, he is also heavily favoured to be the winner this evening, with bettingsites.co.uk offering short odds of 8/13. Ms Rayner is 4/1 and Ms Mordaunt 9/2.
Also on the bill are Stephen Flynn (SNP) 12/1; Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrats) 20/1; Carla Denyer (Green) 25/1; and Rhun ap iorwerth (Plaid Cymru) 25/1.
BettingSites spokesman Andy Newton said: “Nigel Farage has certainly ‘shaken up’ the world of politics this week - not only by having a [milkshake] lobbed over him - but also by seeing his Reform UK party get within two points of the Tories in a recent poll.
“Next step for Mr Farage is to appear on Friday night’s BBC election debate and being a confident public speaker, who divides opinion, he’ll relish taking on a big panel of six other leaders. Therefore, it’s no revelation to see the former I’m a Celeb campmate as the odds-on favourite with our traders to win the latest war of words.”
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was dealt a further blow last night after a mega poll published by Survation suggested the Tories will win just 71 seats - with Reform tipped to make the breakthrough by picking up three. Another, released by Redfield and Wilton, indicated Reform was now more popular than the Tories among over-55s. Express.
