Andy Burnham, who became prime minister on 20 July, has launched a rapid series of policy announcements in his first week in Downing Street, and early polling suggests it may be shifting public opinion in Labour's favour. A Survation poll published on Tuesday put Labour ahead on 26 per cent, up one point, with Nigel Farage's Reform UK trailing on 24 per cent, down two points, marking the first time in over a year that Labour have led, a shift echoed in polls from More in Common and YouGov.

Burnham's announcements have included a VAT cut on energy bills, the return of the £2 bus fare cap, £340 million to tackle rough sleeping, a 20 per cent business rates cut for pubs and music venues, a "No 10 in the North" operation based in Manchester, an overhaul of technical education, and signals of tougher "conditional" welfare reform. Polling expert Lord Hayward described a "Burnham bounce" that has "changed the discourse of British politics", though Reform's spokesman said the party remains "calm", pointing out that Keir Starmer once led in the polls too before it unravelled; Burnham himself urged caution, saying he wouldn't "get carried away by any poll".