Labour has slipped to its lowest level of support since last year’s landslide election win, with the party now trailing behind Reform UK in the polls. According to the latest survey by YouGov, only 20% of voters said they would back Sir Keir Starmer’s party in a general election, marking its weakest showing in six years. By contrast, Nigel Farage’s Reform secured 28% support, while the Conservatives remain close behind Labour on 17%. The Liberal Democrats polled at 16%, and the Greens at 11%.
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Responding to the findings, EU Relations Minister Nick Thomas-Symonds defended the Government’s record, saying ministers had been compelled to take “very difficult decisions to stabilise the public finances early in this parliament”. He also criticised Mr Farage, claiming the Reform leader “stokes problems and offers empty promises for their solution”. The poll comes amid heightened political tension, with Reform seeking to capitalise on growing discontent with both Labour and the Conservatives.
In Scotland, First Minister John Swinney called on Graham Simpson, a former Conservative MSP who defected to Reform this week, to resign his Holyrood seat. Mr Simpson appeared alongside Mr Farage at a press conference to announce his switch, ahead of next May’s Scottish parliamentary elections. Mr Swinney denounced what he described as the “obnoxiousness” of Reform’s stance on immigration, arguing that such rhetoric was “undermining our legitimate economic aspirations”. He stressed that Scotland faced a declining working-age population and needed inward migration to sustain economic growth and deliver essential services.
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Reform’s rising popularity has coincided with a string of high-profile defections from the Conservatives and Labour. Last month, former Tory Party chair Sir Jake Berry joined Reform, describing it as the “true opposition”. In London, Westminster councillor Laila Cunningham quit the Conservatives, citing frustration with policing levels in the capital, while ex-Barnet Council leader Dan Thomas followed suit in June. In Glasgow, former Labour councillor Audrey Dempsey also announced her move to Reform, further bolstering Mr Farage’s push to reshape the political landscape.
