The Reform UK party in Kent has downplayed the prospects of it winning seats in the county as a shock national opinion poll suggests it is now outperforming the Conservatives.

The party – led by Nigel Farage – is fielding candidates in all 18 constituencies up for grabs on July 4 and has been buoyed by a poll carried out by YouGov that puts it 1% ahead of the Tories.

The party’s campaign co-ordinator for Kent says the survey is a further blow to the Conservatives and claims the party is in a mass panic as Rishi Sunak appears to be haemorrhaging support.

Carol Comey said: “Obviously it does not mean we are going to win every seat; we have to be realistic. But we have some [candidates] getting lots more support; we are doing very well in Rochester and Strood, getting lots of support there.”

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Ms Corney acknowledges it is unlikely the party will be capable of springing a major surprise, adding many of its candidates are still campaigning with very few resources and are not matching what other parties have at their disposal.

“There are certain seats that are doing better in terms of support and being able to run a proper campaign. But we are a grassroots party that is run by volunteers,” she said.

She rejects the claim being made by the Tory party that voting for Reform risks letting Labour in, adding: “Now that we have overtaken them in the polls, to be honest, a vote for Conservative party is a vote for Labour.”

Ms Corney says the party is being supported by people who are attracted to its policies beyond just immigration.

But she says the issue remains a core part of its appeal, with voters “outraged” that people can just turn up and have the legal right to be housed while British citizens have no such rights

Responding to the poll, Rishi Sunak said “I always say the poll that matters is the one on 4 July – but if that poll was replicated on 4 July, it would be handing Labour a blank cheque to tax everyone. Tax their home, their pension, their car, their family, and I’ll be fighting very hard to make sure that doesn’t happen.”

The poll, by YouGov and published by The Times, suggests public support for Reform is now at 19%, up two points and a point above the Tories on 18% per cent with the election less than three weeks away.

Labour has fallen one point to 37%.