Nigel Farage’s Reform UK are still the most popular party according to a new opinion poll today.
A YouGov survey for the Times and Sky News found 25% of voters would back Reform if an election was held now, with 24% backing Labour and 22% saying they would vote Conservative.
The Lib Dems are on 16% and the Green Party is supported by 8%.
The figures for the top three parties are within the margin of error, which means they are neck and neck. However Mr Farage will be delighted that once again a survey is placing his party on top, as he hopes to convince voters that he has a real chance of leading a government after the next election.
The survey took place on Sunday, February 23 and Monday, February 24 – suggesting that controversy over Ukraine has not done Reform any harm.
Some Westminster watchers thought voters might turn against Mr Farage because of his close relationship with US President Donald Trump, who has been accused of “appeasing” Russia dictator Vladimir Putin over Ukraine, but this does not appear to have happened.
A YouGov analysis said: “The latest YouGov/Times voting intention survey continue to show Reform UK in front, although their lead remains within the margin of error. Our figures show Reform on 25% of the vote, having been on 27% last week.
“Labour and the Conservatives see margin of error changes since our previous poll, now on 24% and 22% respectively. This leaves just three-points between first-place and third-place.”
Sky News reporter Sam Coates said: “Reform UK maintain tiny lead.”
It comes after a separate poll found Mr Farage was one of the nation’s favourite politician.
More people are favourable to Nigel Farage than other political leaders according to monthly survey by Ipsos. It found the Reform UK leader and Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch are the only senior politicians to improve their favourability rating since January, with positivity about Sir Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves dwindling.
Mr Farage is perceived favourably by 31% of those surveyed but unfavourably by 46%, with a five-point boost since January taking his overall net rating to minus 15.
Meanwhile, the Conservative Party leader received a 0.5 point swing to boost her net favourability to minus 29 as 16% view her positively and 45% negatively.
Sir Keir’s net favourability slipped by 3.5 points to minus 34, with 21% positive about the Prime Minister and 55% negative.
Ms Reeves is the only politician with a worse net score than the Prime Minister of minus 39, with a fall of three points this month leaving the Chancellor with 14% of the public viewing her positively and 53% negatively.
The remaining two UK politicians included in the survey, Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner and Liberal Democrats leader Sir Ed Davey, registered net favourability scores of minus 30 and minus 12 respectively. This leaves Sir Ed with the highest net rating.
Keiran Pedley, director of UK Politics at Ipsos, said: “This polling shows the relatively competitive position Nigel Farage holds versus other party leaders.
“More Britons are favourable towards Farage than Starmer, Badenoch or Davey. However, these poll findings were taken before Donald Trump’s recent comments about Ukraine, so it remains to be seen whether these – and Nigel Farage’s response – impact the numbers moving forward.”