Kemi Badenoch is experiencing a surge in popularity, with her favorability ratings surpassing those of any Conservative leader in more than five years, according to a recent YouGov survey. In the same week she criticized Prime Minister Andy Burnham for lacking a national plan, Badenoch's net favorability rating stood at minus 11.
The survey of 2,063 adults also revealed that both the Labour and Conservative parties are closing the gap with Reform UK in voting intentions. Reform UK saw a one-point drop to 23 percent, while the Conservatives rose to 21 percent and Labour to 20 percent.
Meanwhile, Nigel Farage's public standing has sharply declined, reaching its joint lowest point in a decade. Only 22 percent of Britons now hold a positive view of Farage, with 68 percent viewing him negatively. A significant 56 percent expressed 'very unfavorable' opinions of the Reform UK leader. This results in a net favorability rating of -46, a figure comparable to those recorded by Boris Johnson after the 'partygate' revelations and Keir Starmer before his resignation as Prime Minister.
In contrast, Prime Minister Andy Burnham has a positive net favorability rating of plus 3.
Farage's dip in popularity coincides with renewed questions regarding a £5 million payment he received from a cryptocurrency tycoon shortly before re-entering frontline politics. The Conservative Party has urged HM Revenue and Customs to investigate whether the funds from Christopher Harborne could be classified as 'disguised remuneration,' potentially making them liable for income tax.
A Conservative Party chairman, Kevin Hollinrake, wrote that if the payment was intended as a reward or compensation connected to Farage's roles within Reform UK, its tax treatment might differ from a personal gift or a standard political donation.
A spokesperson for Farage, however, maintained that the payment was a personal, unconditional gift and that no rules were broken or taxes owed, characterizing the inquiry as a desperate move by a 'dying Tory party.' Farage had previously been under investigation by the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards for failing to declare the funds, which he asserted were unrelated to his political activities, but the probe was paused when he resigned as a Member of Parliament.
