Story perspectives

Poll Puts Conservatives Second as Labour Leads, YouGov Shows

By Drooid · Oct 17, 2026, 4:09 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

Kemi Badenoch’s Conservatives move into second place behind Labour.
An October 14 poll shows Conservatives at 24%, Labour 28%, Reform UK 21%.
A YouGov poll reports Conservatives 23%, Labour 24%, Reform UK 21%.
Luke Tryl (director of More in Common) records Badenoch’s gross approval at 35% and Nigel Farage’s at 40%.
Badenoch’s right-wing approval rose 62 points among 2024 Conservative voters and 18 points among Reform supporters.

History

Historical Context

The 1997 UK general election on 1 May 1997 ended 18 years of Conservative rule when Tony Blair’s Labour Party captured 418 seats—a 177-seat majority—while John Major’s Conservatives fell to 165 seats. That significant political realignment showed how right-wing voters could abandon the Tories, a pattern echoed today by Kemi Badenoch’s Reform UK current surge.

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Story summary

Kemi Badenoch’s Conservatives move into second place behind Labour.
An October 14 poll shows Conservatives at 24%, Labour 28%, Reform UK 21%.
A YouGov poll reports Conservatives 23%, Labour 24%, Reform UK 21%.
Luke Tryl (director of More in Common) records Badenoch’s gross approval at 35% and Nigel Farage’s at 40%.
Badenoch’s right-wing approval rose 62 points among 2024 Conservative voters and 18 points among Reform supporters.

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