A new Ipsos survey reveals Reform Party leader Nigel Farage has overtaken Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer as the public’s preferred choice for British prime minister, marking a significant shift in political dynamics. The poll shows 33% of respondents favor Farage as the nation’s leader, compared to 30% for Starmer, a reversal from July when the Labour leader held an eight-point lead.
The findings highlight growing public dissatisfaction with the governing Labour Party, which now trails behind both the Reform Party and the far-left Greens. Ipsos data indicates voters increasingly support Reform’s policies on immigration, taxation, public services, and the economy over those of Labour or other major parties. Farage expressed gratitude for the results, stating, “I am humbled by these figures and promise not to let people down.”
Labour’s decline has been exacerbated by a YouGov poll placing its support at 17%, its lowest level in years. The party now lags ten points behind Reform and is only one point ahead of the Greens, led by socialist Zach Polanski, who attract disillusioned Labour voters. Farage’s rise follows a series of developments that have elevated his populist-right Reform Party—formerly the Brexit Party—to a credible electoral threat. A September poll projected the party could secure 311 seats in the House of Commons, nearly reaching an outright majority.
The Starmer government is reportedly considering delaying local elections amid fears of sweeping Reform gains, a move Farage condemned as “completely outrageous.” The results underscore a broader realignment in British politics, with traditional parties losing ground to outsider factions.
