The latest voting intention poll has placed the Conservatives ahead of Reform UK, prompting the question of whether Kemi Badenoch or Nigel Farage would make a better Prime Minister.
A YouGov poll for Sky News and The Times showed the Tories at 23%, placing it second behind Labour at 24%, marking a three-point jump and leaving Reform UK in third place at 21%.
Badenoch's Response to Poll Momentum
Kemi Badenoch welcomed the poll jump as "just the beginning" of a resurgence for the Conservatives. The Tory leader said she believed the public had taken a "long look" at Nigel Farage's outfit and decided they "don't like what they see".
Asked if she thought poll momentum for the Tories would continue or if the survey was a temporary post-conference bounce, Mrs Badenoch said: "I am confident that the momentum will continue, because people are seeing the Conservative Party has changed under my leadership and there's much more to come, this is just the beginning."
"We left office two years ago. It was a historic defeat for the Conservative Party. We made a lot of mistakes. I have been showing the public that I understand what went wrong, apologised and acknowledged those mistakes. But we are the only party with common sense and a plan to unite the country. There's no other party that has that combination."
Reform UK's Rebuttal
Reform UK in turn insisted the British public would not forgive the Conservatives so quickly for their record in office, and said it remains ahead in other data on voting intention.
A Reform UK spokesman said: "Kemi's claim the Tory party has changed is a myth. It is still stuffed with the same people who brought this country to the brink during their 14 years in government."
"Ninety-two per cent of her shadow cabinet served in previous failed Tory governments. The British public will not forgive this party any time soon, which is why Reform continues to lead the Tories in the poll of polls."
The change in polling begs the question whether Mrs Badenoch would make a better prime minister or Mr Farage, who harbours his own leadership ambitions. Readers can vote in the poll and join the debate in the comments section.
