More than half of voters think Reform UK has a problem with extreme candidates and prejudice, polling has revealed.

Reform, under leader Nigel Farage, hopes to utilise the collapse of Conservative support after successfully seeing four MPs elected to Parliament.

But post-election polling shows public concern over the party’s vetting of candidates, views on race and handing of issues like immigration.

The data suggests without improving the party’s reputation, Farage could struggle to build a broad coalition of voters.

Reform sources said the party was aware that there had been poor vetting of candidates ahead of the July snap election and insisted this was being overhauled.

A spokesman said the perception of the party shown through the polling was “wrong,” but “clearly one that exists and we will combat it effectively”.

Two-thirds of adults polled by Facoldata immediately after the election (64 per cent) agreed Reform must do more to deal with extreme candidates, rising to 72 per cent among Tory voters.

Among Reform voters, 59 per cent agreed the party must “do more to ensure they don’t have candidates with extreme views” with 16 per cent disagreeing.

Most voters also think Reform risks bringing prejudice into debates about immigration. Just over half of respondents (51 per cent) agreed, compared with 20 per cent who did not.

And two fifths of the public think Reform is a racist party – 41 per cent compared to 30 per cent who disagree.

Conservative voters are split on this issue, with 37 per cent saying the party is racist and 34 per cent saying it is not. Reform voters themselves reject the idea it is a racist party by 86 per cent to four per cent.

Some 45 per cent of voters, however, said Reform is “bravely outspoken” and 49 per cent said the partly simply “says things others don’t have the courage to say.”

A Reform spokesman said: “This study is highly partisan and many of the questions are leading to desired responses, opaque, or confusing. Questions such as, ‘mainly a’ or ‘say things they shouldn’t say’ are so subjective as to be nearly meaningless.

“That being said, it is notable that upwards of 40 per cent have, or would consider, voting for the party.

“As to the point about candidates and perception. Nobody is more aware than we are about the need to significantly overhaul our candidate selection and vetting processes.

“The party leadership has repeatedly stated in recent weeks that the need to professionalise the internal party structures is its key priority for precisely these reasons.

“The perception is wrong, but it is clearly one that exists and we will combat it effectively as we move forward”.

Think tank British Future, who commissioned the polling, said it suggests Reform suffers with more of a reputational problem than Ukip did in 2015.

Sunder Katwala, Director of British Future, said: “After an election campaign marred by scandals over racist candidates and campaigners, often dropped only after media pressure, Nigel Farage has work to do if he is to clean up Reform’s reputation on racism.

“Farage claimed at one point in the campaign to be the ‘effective opposition’ to Labour and did secure 4 million votes, but now heads a party with just five MPs.

“If he wants Reform to be treated as a mainstream voice – and indeed if he wants to break through and seek broader support – the party will need to be much clearer where it draws the line on prejudice.”

The think-tank also suggested that Reform had a ceiling on the level of cross-party support it could command, with half the public (49 per cent) insisting they would never vote for Reform – including half of 2024 Tory voters (51 per cent).