Labour has moved ahead of Reform UK in the latest YouGov poll, marking the fifth national survey the party has topped since Andy Burnham became prime minister and ending Reform's year-long run at the top of the polls. The shift matters because it signals a significant recovery in Labour's fortunes and comes at an awkward moment for Nigel Farage, whose party is fighting a critical by-election in Clacton, the seat he vacated earlier this summer.

The YouGov survey put Labour on 24 per cent and Reform on 22 per cent, Reform's lowest score since March 2025, with the Conservatives narrowing the gap on 21 per cent. Labour's own voter retention has risen from 49 per cent to 60 per cent since Burnham took over, while support for the Greens and Liberal Democrats has slipped. A separate Ipsos poll put Labour three points clear of Reform, with 36 per cent naming Burnham the best potential prime minister compared with 15 per cent for Farage.