Labour overtakes Reform UK in polls after Burnham PM

Britain's governing Labour Party has drawn level with or overtaken Nigel Farage's Reform UK in recent opinion polls, marking a significant shift in the political landscape after more than a year of Reform leading most surveys. The change follows the first week in office of new Prime Minister Andy Burnham, who replaced Keir Starmer on July 20 after Labour MPs lost confidence in Starmer's ability to challenge Farage's populist party.

Multiple polls released on July, 28 show a bounce in Labour's support. A Survation poll placed Labour at 26 percent, overtaking Reform at 24 percent. This represents Labour's highest rating in that poll since June 3, 2025, and its first lead since May 3, 2025. Other pollsters reported a similar tightening. More In Common's survey showed Labour at 28 percent, ahead of Reform at 24 percent, while YouGov had the two parties tied at 22 percent. YouGov also found more Britons viewed Burnham as a better prime minister than Farage or any other major party leader.

Analysts attribute Labour's gains to Burnham's immediate focus on cost-of-living measures, which he branded the priority of a "cost of living government." In his initial days, he announced the...