Reform UK hits lowest point for 17 months in poll ahead of Farage by-election

Craig Munro | Senior Politics Reporter Published August 11, 2026 12:03pm Updated August 11, 2026 12:03pm The news has landed just two days before Nigel Farage’s big summer by-election (Picture: Alamy Live News.) More bad polling news has landed for Reform, as the single pollster that put them in the lead over Labour last week now shows Nigel Farage’s party in second place. Figures including home affairs spokesman Zia Yusuf were ecstatic when YouGov’s voting intention poll bucked the ‘Burnham bounce’ trend on August 3. Writing on X, Yusuf claimed the survey showed Reform was ‘BACK IN THE LEAD’ – though YouGov had shown the party on top since April last year – amid speculation it was losing momentum. He said this was happening during ‘the inevitable honeymoon period for a new Labour PM and d