Labour has moved ahead of Reform in national voting polls for the first time in over a year, with 28% of Britons indicating they would vote for the party in a general election. This represents a four-percentage-point increase in Labour's support in the first week of Andy Burnham's premiership, according to polling from research firm More in Common. Reform has fallen to 24%.
The polling data marks Labour's highest vote share in nearly two years. Despite the surge and the pressure to call a snap election to solidify his mandate, Prime Minister Burnham stated in a BBC interview that he would rule out an early election. He emphasized that the electorate voted for a manifesto in 2024 and that his focus is on making Britain "working."
Burnham has outlined several policy changes during his first week, including cutting business rates for hospitality, aiming to end rough sleeping in England, reducing VAT on electricity bills, and establishing a new No. 10 North office. However, details on how these initiatives will be funded have not yet been provided.
Reform UK's popularity has declined as the party faces an investigation into its donations. The party's bank account was reportedly frozen during the last election due to potentially illegal donations originating from the mother of a convicted criminal. Police are investigating payments from Fiona Cottrell, mother of George Cottrell, who allegedly provided secret funding to Nigel Farage.
Luke Tryl of More in Common commented that the momentum appears to be with the Prime Minister following a week of policy announcements and media appearances. He noted that Labour's lead is the first since March of the previous year and that the party's highest vote share since early 2024 suggests an appeal to voters on the cost of living. Tryl cautioned that it remains too early to determine if this lead will be sustainable as Burnham navigates the practicalities of governing.
The poll also indicates that the Conservative Party remains steady at 22%, while the Green Party has dropped to 8%, their lowest share since October of the previous year.