Burnham bounce? Poll finds Labour neck-and-neck with Reform for the first time since April last year - as Farage struggles with row over £5m 'gift'

By JAMES TAPSFIELD, UK POLITICAL EDITOR Published: 15:25, 17 July 2026 | Updated: 15:40, 17 July 2026 There was an early hint of a 'Burnham bounce' today as a poll showed Labour neck and neck with Reform. Survation research released as the former Greater Manchester Mayor became leader found the party's support has surged five points in the past month. Meanwhile, Reform dropped three points amid controversy over Nigel Farage's undeclared £5million gift from a crypto billionaire. The shifts meant the parties were both on 24 per cent, with the Tories not far behind on 21 per cent. It is the first time since April last year that Labour has not trailed in a voting intention poll. Although the changes are larger than so far seen in other surveys, Labour MPs will seize on the numbers as evidence they have made the right decision in getting rid of Keir Starmer.   Survation research released as Andy Burnham became Labour leader found the party's support has surged five points in the past month Mr Burnham was officially 'crowned' leader today and immediately lurched Left, blaming Margaret Thatcher and capitalism for the country's problems Mr Burnham was officially 'crowned' leader today and immediately lurched Left, blaming Margaret Thatcher and capitalism for the country's problems. The Makerfield MP was unveiled as the winner of the bizarre one-candidate contest at an event at the TUC headquarters in London. Watched by fawning would-be Cabinet ministers, Mr Burnham – who ditched his trademark black T-shirt for a suit and tie – harked back to a time before the 'wrong turns' of the 1980s. He pledged nationalisations and more public control, telling activists he would stop wearing 'Tory clothes' and return to 'authentic Labour' to 'eradicate' Reform.  Mr Burnham said the movement was 'forged in the steelworks' and dockyards, committing to end 'Neoliberalism' – a vague term often used on the Left to denounce capitalism.  Despite mounting a concerted effort to kick Sir Keir out, Mr Burnham enthusiastically praised his absent predecessor's 'service to our party and our country'.  However, Mr Burnham – who will officially replace Sir Keir as PM on Monday – still did not take any questions from the media. Instead he has been posting soft-soap social media clips, which include him discussing how he likes his tea, whether he wears socks with sandals, and his disapproval of Yorkshire puddings with Christmas dinner. For his part, Sir Keir has told the Mirror that he could have won an election in 2029. But he insisted he was going 'with good grace', saying: 'I want my country to thrive, and therefore I'll do everything to make sure there's an orderly transition and give my full support to Andy Burnham and the whole of the government,' he said. Although the changes are larger than so far seen in other surveys, Labour MPs will seize on the numbers as evidence they have made the right decision in getting rid of Keir Starmer 'I want the government to succeed, I want the country to succeed. And therefore my last acts as Prime Minister will be doing what I can to do that.' As he prepares to walk away barely two years after securing a landslide election majority, Sir Keir said he believed he had built a 'sound foundation'. 'There is now I think a sound footing, a sound foundation, and the party can go on and win a second term, which is what I always thought we could do,' he said. 'We've built the platform to go on and win in 2029. We hand over the country and the party in good shape after six and a half years from a state where the party, as I say, it was a question of whether it would exist.  'So I will now support the government and do everything I can to make sure that we go forward in good shape.'