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Nigel Farage's "billions of pounds worth of unfunded spending commitments" comes out top in analysis of weak spots which could hit support for the party hardest in future elections, according to a new mega-poll of voters.

YouGov research for progressive group Best for Britain found that potential Reform backers rated a message criticising Farage's spending plans and economic credentials as the 'most convincing' almost 3-in-5 (57%) times.

Best for Britain note that Farage has "previously voiced strong support for Liz Truss' disastrous 2022 minibudget, [while] Reform UK [have] made billions in un-costed spending commitments."

In June last year, the Institute for Fiscal Studies noted that Reform UK's plans implied spending an extra £141 billion a year on tax cuts and other pledges, paid for by a supposed £156bn of savings in Government spending, and assuming vastly increased tax revenue from economic growth. The IFS thinktank said the party's plans were based on "extremely optimist assumptions" and the sums "do not add up".

Farage's hints about moving to a privatised health care system, and his push for a hard Brexit are also effective messages, among those considering or intending to vote Reform but who are most likely to be persuaded to vote for other parties.

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The findings also signal a potential roadmap for the Conservatives to win back support from Reform UK, progressive group Best for Britain says.

It comes as the Labour Party and Keir Starmer appear to be taking a tougher line on Reform UK in recent weeks following discontent from members and their MPs, and as the party meets in Liverpool for its annual conference - amid rumblings of a potential leadership challenge to PM Starmer in future from Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham.

Over the weekend, Keir Starmer told the BBC he believes Reform's plan to scrap Indefinite Leave to Remain was "racist" and "immoral". ILR is the settled status allowing people many who have come here and already been granted permission to stay, and Reform's plans would place hundreds of thousands of those who believed their position here was secure at risk of deportation.

The YouGov polling did not test whether this was an effective line of attack for opponents of Reform.

The YouGov survey of over 3,000 people who said they were intending or considering voting for Reform UK commissioned by Best for Britain presented respondents with a random pair of messages from a selection of eight, criticising Nigel Farage and his party on separate issues.

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Respondents were asked to select which of the two messages they found most convincing and presented with another randomly selected pair until they had seen all eight messages.

Among those considering or intending to vote for Reform UK, a message suggesting Reform UK would do away with employment rights was almost as effective (56%) as that of the economy, as were critiques of Reform UK's plans to cut social security and public spending by £140 billion (55%), and highlighting Farage's previous comments on moving the NHS to a US-style insurance-based system (54%).

The findings are the latest from a major ongoing study into people who are considering voting for Reform UK at the next general el...