Key facts
- Labour leads in a voter intention poll for the first time since March 2025, reaching 28% support.
- Reform UK dropped to 24% in the same poll, with the Liberal Democrats at 12% and the Tories at 22%.
- The shift follows negative headlines for Reform UK and its leader, Nigel Farage, concerning undeclared gifts and donations.
- Prime Minister Andy Burnham has made several policy announcements in his first week, including energy tax cuts and bus fare caps.
Labour has overtaken Reform UK in a voter intention poll for the first time since March 2025, according to a weekly tracker by More in Common. The poll shows Labour up four points to 28%, while Reform UK dropped two points to 24%. The Liberal Democrats gained one point to 12%, and the Tories remained unchanged at 22%.
Luke Tryl, UK director at More in Common, noted that Prime Minister Andy Burnham's first week in office, marked by high-profile policy announcements, has generated momentum for Labour. He stated that Labour's current vote share is the highest since the early months of 2024, and the decline in support for Reform UK and the Green party suggests Labour's focus on the cost of living has resonated with a broader range of voters.
Burnham, who recently returned to the House of Commons and was appointed prime minister, has dominated media coverage with policy announcements including a tax cut on energy bills, a cap on bus fares, and a reduction in business rates for pubs and clubs. His performance in a BBC interview with Laura Kuenssberg was also noted as being without gaffes.
Meanwhile, Nigel Farage has faced negative headlines related to undeclared gifts and donations. The Guardian revealed a £5 million gift from crypto billionaire Christopher Harborne shortly before Farage announced his candidacy for the 2024 general election. The parliamentary standards watchdog is investigating whether this gift was declared according to rules. Additionally, George Cottrell, a long-time aide to Farage and a convicted fraudster in the US, provided funding for Reform UK's operations. The Metropolitan police are also investigating payments made to the party via a company controlled by its deputy leader, Richard Tice, specifically two donations of £250,000 made by Britain Means Business before the general election. Reform UK has denied any wrongdoing.