YouGov poll puts Reform back in third place for the first time since early 2024
A new YouGov poll shows the Reform party has risen to third place, overtaking the Tories for the first time since early 2024, while a senior MP warned about foreign interference in British politics.
According to YouGov, the Reform party has climbed back into third place, overtaking the Conservative Party for the first time since early 2024, although the shift falls within the poll’s margin of error. Analysts attribute the Conservative bump to a possible “conference bounce,” while Labour’s numbers have slipped as the impact of its own conference wanes. The poll’s timing is unclear because YouGov did not conduct surveys between the election and January 2025 while revising its methodology.
In parliamentary remarks, MP Burnham stated he fully respects the election outcome but warned that foreign entities are attempting to meddle in British democratic processes. He emphasized his right to point out such interference without questioning the result’s legitimacy. The combined findings suggest a volatile electoral landscape ahead of the next general election.
Why it matters
The shift signals changing voter dynamics and raises concerns about foreign influence on UK elections.
How this story developed
- Sep 29 Andy Burnham signals possible UK return to the EU after condemning Brexit
- Sep 30 Burnham signaled that full EU membership is among the possible routes Labour could evaluate.
- Oct 3 A new poll shows half of British adults now support rejoining the EU.
- Oct 4 Kemi Badenoch opened the Conservative conference by framing the Tories as a common-sense party, unveiling pledges on tighter welfare, prison expansion and free childcare for high-earning families.
- Oct 5 Badenoch pushed to drop the £100,000 childcare tax cap at the conference.
- Oct 6 Announced a cut to employer National Insurance for 21‑ to 24‑year‑olds from 15% to 7.5%.
- Oct 7 Badenoch announced a defence spending target of 3% of GDP.
- Oct 8 Badenoch denounced Reform UK as ethnically exclusive at the conference.
- Oct 8 Burnham announced that the pension triple‑lock will be scrapped after the next general election and its savings will fund a National Care Service.
- Oct 10 Reform UK says it will levy tariffs on countries that do not accept deported migrants if the party wins the next election.
- Oct 11 Andy Burnham told a podcast that he was confirmed Russia meddled in the 2016 Brexit vote and used the comment to signal a possible push for the UK to rejoin the EU.
- Oct 11 Burnham has moved from acknowledging past interference to proposing an EU re‑entry option in the Labour platform.
- Oct 12 Burnham publicly acknowledged Russian involvement in the 2016 Brexit referendum.
- Oct 12 Farage added visa bans and tariff proposals to the asylum plan.
In this story
Related stories
25 in this thread