Tories were given a glimmer of hope that the Reform surge might have peaked today.

Three separate polls showed support for Nigel Farage’s outfit dipping, after a huge backlash at his claim that the West ‘provoked’ Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

A JL Partners survey conducted between June 21 and 24 found that Reform was down three points to 15 per cent, with the Tories up two to 25 per cent. 

Savanta research carried out on the same dates had the Conservatives up two on 21 per cent while Reform fell by the same proportion to 14 per cent.

Deltapoll found Mr Farage’s party was down one on 15 per cent, with the Tories stable on 19 per cent.

Although all still find Labour on course for a huge win on July 4 and the trend is not certain, there will be relief in CCHQ that a so-called ‘crossover’ moment with Reform has not crystalised.

Redfield & Wilton Strategies is the only major firm currently indicating the insurgents are narrowly ahead of the Tories, by 19 per cent to 18 per cent – unchanged on the previous week.

MailOnline’s updated poll tracker earlier today underlined how grim the past fortnight has been for Rishi Sunak, showing Reform averaging less than two points behind following the PM’s D-Day debacle and the Tory election betting scandal.

Three separate polls showed support Nigel Farage ‘s outfit dipping, after a huge backlash at his claim that the West ‘provoked’ Russia’s invasion of Ukraine

A JL Partners survey conducted between June 21 and 24 found that Reform was down three points to 15 per cent, with the Tories up two to 25 per cent

Savanta research carried out on the same dates had the Conservatives up two on 21 per cent while Reform fell by the same proportion to 14 per cent

Deltapoll found Mr Farage’s party was down one on 15 per cent, with the Tories stable on 19 per cent

Mr Farage has been boasting that Reform will soon overtake the Tories as the ‘real opposition’.

He has even demanded a place in the election TV showdowns between Mr Sunak and Keir Starmer – although that was batted away by broadcasters.

The former MEP is standing for Parliament in Clacton, but has been touring battlegrounds staging rallies.

However, Mr Sunak has warned that Reform can only help deliver a ‘supermajority’ for Labour by splitting the right-wing vote.

At a rally last night he urged Brits to ‘think what a Labour government would mean’ before risking a protest vote for Reform that could help hand ‘unchecked’ power to Labour.

Interviewed on an ITV election special yesterday, Mr Farage repeated his controversial view that NATO and the EU ‘provoked’ Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine – although he caveated that was ‘up until a few years ago’ and stressed he supported giving Kyiv weapons.

He called for the West to hold ‘sensible’ negotiations with Vladimir Putin as he batted away claims he is ‘echoing’ Russian propaganda.

The Reform leader said he supported talks arguing the war had reached a ‘complete stalemate’ and the loss of lives was ‘horrific’.

Rishi Sunak (centre) pictured with James Cleverly and Lord Cameron at the ceremony to welcome the Japanese emperor today

Analysis of a ‘mega poll’ suggests the Conservatives are neck and neck with Labour in dozens of seats. 

The More in Common think-tank’s poll forecast Labour to be on course for a landslide majority of 162, with the number of Conservative seats slashed by more than half to 155.

But it found there were 96 seats in which the Conservatives were within five points of Labour. 

If the Tories won all of them, the total number of Conservative seats would jump to 203, cutting Sir Keir’s majority.