Labour overtakes Reform UK in latest polling
Labour has overtaken Reform UK in yet another poll, as the party continues to see a surge in support after Andy Burnham entered Downing Street, reports BritPanorama.
The latest YouGov survey placed Labour at 24 points, two points ahead of Nigel Farage’s party at 22 per cent — marking the first time a YouGov poll has shown Labour ahead of Reform in over a year.
This figure represents Reform’s lowest score since March 2025, with the party losing ground to the Conservatives, who climbed two points to 21 per cent, just one point behind Reform.
The polling is the fifth national assessment Labour has topped since Burnham became prime minister, marking a significant shift from the previous year when Farage’s party consistently led in the polls.
Meanwhile, the Green Party reported a decline to 12 per cent, down one point compared to the previous survey, while the Liberal Democrats also fell by one point to 11 per cent.
The latest results pose another challenge for Farage’s party as they campaign in the crucial by-election in Clacton.
Farage dramatically resigned as an MP earlier this summer, prior to Labour’s “Burnham bounce,” and he risks being left without a seat if he fails to secure victory on Thursday.
After Sir Keir Starmer’s resignation in June, only 49 per cent of voters who supported Labour in the last general election remained loyal. This figure has now risen to 60 per cent, according to the latest polling.
Additionally, the percentage of Labour supporters willing to lend their vote to the Greens has dropped from 9 per cent in June to just 8 per cent.
Anthony Wells, head of politics and elections for YouGov, noted that Burnham has contributed to reuniting the left, highlighting that Labour’s increased vote share corresponds with declines for both the Greens and the Liberal Democrats.
He explained, “What you see in the numbers is not only that Labour has increased its vote share but both the Greens and the Liberal Democrats have seen a substantial drop in their support, which had been boosted by Labour defectors.”
Wells also remarked that there are signs Reform may have peaked and is losing support from disaffected Tory voters now returning to Kemi Badenoch.
“However, more broadly the polls show that the public are still deeply divided, with just three points separating the top three parties, which falls within the margin of error,” he added.
Notably, just one day prior, an Ipsos poll showed Labour at 28 per cent, three points ahead of Reform at 25 per cent, marking Labour’s strongest position in an Ipsos poll in over a year.
The survey indicated that Burnham holds a significant lead over his political rivals, with 36 per cent of respondents selecting him as best suited for Prime Minister, compared to 15 per cent for Farage and 13 per cent for Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch.
The YouGov polling involved responses from 2,417 adults surveyed on August 9 and 10.
As the political landscape shifts, the implications for Labour, Reform, and the broader spectrum present significant narratives to watch in the days ahead.
