Labour has plummeted to its lowest poll rating in six years, according to a new YouGov survey published while Sir Keir Starmer (Labour) enjoys a family holiday abroad. The party now sits at just 20 per cent support, down one percentage point from the previous week.
Reform UK has surged to a commanding eight-point lead over Labour, with Nigel Farage's party backed by 28 per cent of voters. The Conservatives trail on 17 per cent, just ahead of the Liberal Democrats on 16 per cent, whilst the Green Party secured 11 per cent support.
The polling represents Labour's worst result since Starmer took office and their lowest rating since July 2019. The dramatic shift comes as the government faces mounting pressure over its early policy decisions.
Government Counter-Attack
Labour launched a strategic offensive against Reform today, with Cabinet Office minister Nick Thomas-Symonds delivering a pointed Westminster speech targeting Farage's party. Thomas-Symonds told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that the government now views Reform as the "real opposition" ahead of the Conservatives.
"At the moment that is the case because the Conservatives are essentially, they're like a party that has simply nothing to say, they're not on the pitch," he said. When asked if the government was "running scared" of Reform, Thomas-Symonds replied: "No, absolutely not."
The minister used the platform to defend Labour's plans for a permanent food and drink deal with the European Union. The government will begin detailed talks on sanitary and phytosanitary standards in the coming months, as the current temporary agreement expires in January 2027.
Economic Arguments
According to Sky News, Thomas-Symonds argued that Reform's policies would cut £9 billion from the economy and risk higher food prices for families. He rejected claims by Farage and Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch that the government is surrendering British sovereignty.
"Some will hysterically cry even treason. Some will say we're surrendering sovereignty or freedoms, but that is nonsense," Thomas-Symonds said. He claimed Farage wants British businesses to fail so he can offer "easy answers, dividing communities and stoking anger."
The minister acknowledged the government expects "a political fight" when it brings the EU agreement to Parliament for legislation. He described the Conservatives as "completely 2D, stuck with a ghost of Brexit past" whilst accusing Farage of pledging to "reverse our progress."
Sources used: "Daily Mail", "Sky News", "Express", "Independent" Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
