The Burnham bounce: Is Labour gaining ground against Farage’s Reform?

Just more than two months into office, Andy Burnham was roundly praised for his first speech as prime minister at the Labour conference in Liverpool. The Financial Times described his vision as “courageous”; the broadcaster Piers Morgan said the speech was “one of the best, and most powerfully delivered, by a British politician in a very long time”, and journalist Andrew Marr said he remembered seeing Tony Blair speak, but “Andy Burnham might be better”. The new premier’s pitch focused on his plans for social welfare. And in recent months, the Labour Party has been enjoying what has been dubbed a “Burnham bounce”. Some polling still reflects that bounce, especially in the race against the right-wing Reform UK party.