# After 100 days Burnham has a Farage problem – he needs his bogeyman to stick around

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/after-100-days-burnham-has-a-farage-problem-he-needs-his-bogeyman-to-stick-around/
- Published: 2026-10-27T06:03:15+00:00
- Updated: 2026-10-27T10:41:05+00:00
- Original publisher: The Independent (publisher lean: Left)
- Original article: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/andy-burnham-100-days-prime-minister-farage-badenoch-b3073023.html
- Topics: Americas, Elections, Politics, World

## Key points

- Labour is polling at 32 per cent under Burnham.
- Reform has fallen behind the Conservatives.
- A weaker Farage could complicate Burnham’s election strategy.

## Summary

Andy Burnham’s first 100 days as prime minister have coincided with Labour polling strongly enough to suggest it could win a large majority at the next election. The article argues that this success may create a problem for him: his political pitch has relied on defeating Nigel Farage, but a weakening Reform UK could leave the Conservatives as the stronger challenger.

Labour is polling at 32 per cent in the latest Ipsos survey, while Reform is on 20 per cent, four points behind the Conservatives, whose support is described as rising. The article points to Burnham’s conference promises, popular measures on energy bills and bus fares, and campaign-style social media as signs of possible early-election preparation, though he denies plans to call one. It also says Ipsos found Burnham and Kemi Badenoch tied on leader satisfaction at 35 per cent, ahead of Farage on 22 per cent.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.