Nigel Farage’s party struggles as Reform conference begins
Nigel Farage’s party continues to drop in popularity as Reform begins their annual conference in Birmingham, reports BritPanorama.
Despite previously making gains in the devolved and local elections this May, Reform has become mired in controversies over donations to Mr. Farage, faces competition on its right from Rupert Lowe’s Restore Britain, and has lost its lead in voting intention polls since Andy Burnham took office.
A YouGov poll on voting intention released on Wednesday showed the parties neck-and-neck at 23 points, contrasting with August’s figures that had Labour at 24 points to Reform’s 22, marking a slight lead for Labour.
The proportion of Britons willing to consider voting for Reform has gradually decreased from 27 percent since September last year, with the main voting intention for the party down five points to 16 percent. Overall support for Reform has reverted to levels seen before the 2025 council elections, according to YouGov.
This decline in support aligns with a significant drop in public opinion towards Mr. Farage, whose latest net favourability rating is -44, down from a peak of -27 last summer.
Public belief in his effectiveness as Reform leader has plummeted, with a stark decline of 51 net points recorded — from +18 this time last year to -33 today.
A separate YouGov poll indicated that approximately six in ten Britons view Reform as untrustworthy, with 56 percent seeing the party as incompetent and primarily concerned with the interests of a select few.
When asked to describe Mr. Farage, 71 percent of respondents used at least one negative term, with the most common accusations being that he is racist (15 percent) or a liar (12 percent).
Conversely, 27 percent used at least one positive term, with perceived patriotism (5 percent) and honesty (4 percent) noted as the main compliments.
Furthermore, 19 percent of Britons believe he resembles a prime minister in waiting, although this figure has dropped seven points since June.
Indicators suggest Mr. Burnham might be regaining voters who previously drifted away, with support among former Labour voters now 61 percent, up from 49 percent post the previous prime minister’s resignation last June.
Support among 18 to 24-year-olds has significantly increased under Mr. Burnham, surging from 14 percent to 32 percent during the same timeframe. In contrast, only 3 percent of 18 to 24-year-olds would currently vote for Reform.
Recent voting intention data reveals that 20 percent of all adults would opt for Conservative, 13 percent for Green, and 12 percent for Liberal Democrat if an election were held tomorrow.
Labour’s rising popularity under Mr. Burnham has spurred discussions regarding an early election, which, if successful, could secure a mandate for at least five years to implement his promised changes as prime minister.
However, pollsters have cautioned that there may be little advantage for the Labour leader in pursuing this course, suggesting the so-called “Burnham bounce” might have already reached its peak.
The timing remains challenging for Mr. Farage, who faces a parliamentary standards investigation upon his anticipated return to Westminster this week, a situation that could ultimately jeopardize his position.
