Reform UK regains slim polling lead after signs of Labour enjoying a 'Burnham bounce' under their new PM

By GREG HEFFER, POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT Published: 11:42, 4 August 2026 | Updated: 11:44, 4 August 2026 Reform UK has regained a slim polling lead following signs of Labour enjoying a 'Burnham bounce' under their new leader. The latest YouGov survey shows Reform are backed by 23 per cent of voters, up one percentage point since last week, with Labour remaining on 22 per cent. Meanwhile, the Tories are down two points on 19 per cent, with the Greens remaining on 12 per cent, and the Liberal Democrats up by one point on 12 per cent. Both YouGov and other pollsters have shown a rise in Labour's poll rating since the party decided to ditch Keir Starmer as leader in favour of Andy Burnham. There has also been an apparent drop in support for Reform in recent weeks as party leader Nigel Farage faces scrutiny over a £5million gift from a crypto-billionaire. Reform is also facing a growing challenge from rival party Restore Britain, led by Great Yarmouth MP Rupert Lowe, who are on 4 per cent in the latest YouGov poll. Labour's 'Burnham bounce' and Reform's drop in popularity has seen growing speculation at Westminster about the new Prime Minister calling a snap general election later this year. This is despite Mr Burnham having insisted he will not send the country to the polls to seek a personal mandate. Your browser does not support iframes. YouGov said all parties were within the margin of error of their previous poll but the latest figures 'reiterate the tightening of our voting intention tracker seen in the last month'. They added it was now three weeks since Reform last recorded a lead outside the margin of error. Mr Burnham previously demanded the Tories call an election when they changed leaders while in power. But he told the BBC last month: 'There is no early general election.' He added: 'I’m going to rule it out... I don't think people want it.' Mr Farage on Monday admitted that Restore Britain 'could do us great harm' by splitting the Right-wing vote at the next general election. The Reform leader added he is 'open-minded' about holding talks with Mr Lowe, following the Great Yarmouth MP's offer to 'unite the Right' and take on Labour. Mr Farage told a press conference: 'You could see a situation where Restore, without the hope of winning anything outside Great Yarmouth, I mean literally without hope of winning a single seat in the country, could do us great harm. 'I think online you will see a lot of Restore potential voters now beginning to worry about the impact that might have. 'I finalise that by saying if it was the offer of a deal, it came in a very unusual way. I have responded to it potentially, you know, with an open mind.' As part of his terms for a deal, Mr Lowe said that Reform would have to agree to ban the burqa and halal meat, and rule out having any former Conservative ministers in future Cabinets. But Mr Farage insisted he would not axe Robert Jenrick, his Treasury spokesman, or Suella Braverman, Reform's education spokesman, from his top team. YouGov interviewed 2,300 British adults between 2 and 3 August.