After the Reform scandal - does anyone still trust pollsters?

After the Reform scandal - does anyone still trust pollsters?

The News Agents · 2026-09-18
41:54

Opinion polls are supposed to tell us what the public thinks. But what happens when the people commissioning, funding and promoting those polls have a political interest in the results?

The latest controversy surrounding Reform UK has put the polling industry under an uncomfortable spotlight. Allegations that polling commissioned by Reform was funded through an overseas company and that the party's involvement was not disclosed when the results were published have prompted investigations. Reform denies any wrongdoing, while two senior party officials have stepped down.

This Friday, Luke Tryl from More In Common joins us to explore the power that political polling has, if it can change the course of an election, and how much should we really trust the numbers?

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The News Agents

Emily Maitlis, Jon Sopel and Lewis Goodall – three of the UK’s top journalists – host an award-winning daily news podcast: The News Agents.

They’re not just here to tell you what's happening, but why. Expect astute analysis and explanation of the day's news – and a healthy dose of scepticism and the ability to laugh at it all when needed.

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