Why aren’t the Tories attacking Reform UK ?

[Karlmayforpresident]

Why no attacks on Farage and his party which are realistically the biggest drain on Tory votes ?
The manifesto is a joke and will not survive scrutiny, some of their candidates have associated themselves with unsavoury individuals and have pretty out there beliefs, and yet the Conservative Party is haemorrhaging votes to them. I don’t know any Tory voters swinging to Labour but I know plenty who will vote reform (or not vote).
Why are they holding back criticism ?
Apparently some cabinet ministers are suggesting to Sunak that he ‘goes low’ and starts to make personal attacks on KS. But why are they so reluctant to call out Reform UK who let’s be honest are an easy target ?

This is going to be a tedious couple and a bit weeks. Muck spreading and bs in general will go through the roof. Sounds like Murdoch the vampire that he is might endorse Lab as it all looks so dismal for….well really anything else at this point.

To the OP, Sunak has given up and will have no control over the scorched remnants of the TP come July 5th, he’s off to count his billion quid in California (wouldn’t you if you could?)

Theres nothing to be gained by him attacking reform, as in the Venn diagram scheme of things, many of the TP potential voters are swaying, so attacking them will likely only harm the embers of the Tories as his private jet takes off.

Reform are an entertaining side show for the media but they’re never realistically going to get more than 2-3 seats (greatest likelihood based on current polling is one, Clacton).

Most consistencies will be a two way battle between Conservatives and Labour. Like Lib Dems and Greens, Reform can - at best - reduce the Tory vote. It’s a problem for the Conservatives but definitely not the biggest problem.

So they don’t sound like they are criticising views some of their own supporters hold and thereby alienating them/driving them right into Reform’s hands.

Thye gambled on a strategy of banking even further right at the beginning of the campaign in order to try to recapture some people wavering toward Reform.

But the timing of the election also meant that Farage hadn’t headed off the the US yet to stump for Trump as he’d said.

That left Farage able to stand for Reform and get up to his usual grandstanding.

And having set that agenda, the Tories have nowhere to go with that doesn’t risk alienating their own support.

If they try to move back to the centre then they risk losing more of the Reformesque people, if they move further right then they risk losing the remaining centrists.

I think the Tories have pretty much given up. The only question is how big a majority will Labour win.

@pointythings @Lonelycrab thank you for explaining. I hadn't realised that was the case, and so me being gobsmacked was shortsighted in hindsight. Really hoping that as you say, this is very different.

Reform hate the Conservatives. The Conservatives hate Reform. Conservative members loathe Farage and wouldn't give him a job as their toilet cleaner.