Labour remains ahead of Reform UK in the polls as the party continues to benefit from the boost of Andy Burnham taking over as leader. The Makerfield MP is also the party leader with the highest approval rating, according to the latest polls released by Opinium, a market research and insight agency.
Poll standings
Labour stand at 28 per cent in the polls, ahead of Reform at 24 per cent, according to the poll. They are followed by the Conservatives on 17 per cent, the Liberal Democrats on 10 per cent and the Green Party also on 10 per cent.
The latest polls also have Burnham as the only party leader with a positive approval rating of plus 7. Kemi Badenoch's rating is -3, Sir Ed Davey at -4, Zack Polanski at -24 and Nigel Farage at -25. The latest polls come ahead of Labour Party conference in Liverpool this week.
Conference reaction
Labour Party chair Bridget Phillipson said that what she described as Burnham’s 'real sense of connection' with the public was likely behind the latest polling. MRP polling carried out by YouGov showed Labour would be the largest party if a snap election were called, though it would fall short of a majority.
Reform UK and the Tories would find themselves neck-and-neck in their parliamentary numbers, the poll suggested, with neither in the position to form a government alone. The Prime Minister ruled out plunging the country into an early election despite the improved prospects. Mr Burnham said he wanted to 'knock dead' rumours of triggering a contest before 2029.
Fight ahead
Ms Phillipson said Labour would not become complacent, telling how the party has 'a massive fight on our hands with Reform, with the Tories'. She said 'the only poll that will matter is the one that happens on election day in 2029'.
The Labour chair added: “But what we have seen with Andy Burnham is a real sense of connection with the public, taking things to the next level. That hope, that optimism, that sense that Britain’s best days lie ahead of us.
“We’ve got a big fight on our hands come the next election, and I don’t underestimate that challenge for one second, but there’s a real sense of purpose and energy as conference gets under way.”
Ahead of conference, several Labour figures have claimed Mr Burnham’s leadership has reinvigorated Labour following Sir Keir Starmer’s time in No 10. Education Secretary Lucy Powell told the Guardian said the Government under Sir Keir had 'lost sight of some of the politics and the purpose'.
Speaking to the BBC on Saturday, Lisa Nandy said: “I think the reason, frankly, that we had a change of leadership at the start of this year is because we all felt that people need to feel the change in their lives that we promised in 2024 much more quickly.”
