Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch has emerged ahead of Reform UK leader Nigel Farage in public preference for Prime Minister, with new YouGov polling suggesting she has gained the upper hand in the contest for leadership of Britain’s political Right.
The survey found that 22 per cent of Reform UK supporters believe Mrs Badenoch would make a better Prime Minister than Mr Farage.
In comparison, just 14 per cent of Conservative voters said they would prefer the Reform leader to take the country’s top political office in a direct contest with her.
The findings also showed that 57 per cent of Reform supporters would choose Mrs Badenoch over Labour politician Andy Burnham as Prime Minister.
Meanwhile, only 36 per cent of Conservative voters said they would favour Mr Farage over the Labour figure.
Three Times More Britons Prefer Badenoch to Farage
Across the wider electorate, Mrs Badenoch has established a substantial advantage over Mr Farage.
According to the latest YouGov figures, 43 per cent of respondents believe the Conservative leader would perform better as Prime Minister, compared with 15 per cent who favour Mr Farage.
Another 36 per cent said they were undecided, while six per cent declined to choose between the two politicians.
YouGov described Badenoch’s 28-point advantage as evidence that she currently holds the upper hand in the competition for influence over Britain’s political Right.
The latest figures represent a significant change from August 2025, when 21 per cent of respondents preferred Mrs Badenoch for the premiership, against 23 per cent who backed Mr Farage.
Badenoch Appeals to Former Conservative Supporters
The polling comes after Mrs Badenoch made an appeal to Reform UK supporters, urging them to return to the Conservative Party.
During her party conference speech last month, she argued that Reform voters deserved better than a political organisation whose leadership had become embroiled in controversies.
She said many Reform supporters were previously part of the Conservative movement and acknowledged that her party had disappointed them.
“Many of them are our people. We let them down and we want them to come back home,” she said.
The appeal formed part of her effort to attract voters who have moved away from the Conservatives towards Reform UK.
Tory Leader Also Extends Advantage Over Lib Dems and Greens
The YouGov survey, which questioned 2,355 adults across Britain at the beginning of November, also examined how Mrs Badenoch performed against other opposition party leaders.
She was preferred to Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey by 36 per cent of respondents, compared with 24 per cent who thought he would make a better Prime Minister.
YouGov said this was her biggest lead over Sir Ed recorded so far, following a period when the two politicians were almost level in January.
Her advantage over Green Party leader Zack Polanski was also substantial. Forty per cent of those surveyed believed Mrs Badenoch would be a better Prime Minister, while 18 per cent favoured Mr Polanski.
Burnham Remains Ahead of Other Party Leaders
Despite Mrs Badenoch’s improved position against several political rivals, Andy Burnham continues to perform strongly in comparisons with other major party leaders.
The Labour politician leads Mrs Badenoch by 40 per cent to 28 per cent when respondents are asked who would make a better Prime Minister.
The figures mark a change from the period when the Conservative leader was level with former Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, before his removal from the position.
Mr Burnham also holds a significant advantage over Mr Farage.
Half of those surveyed, representing 50 per cent, believe the Labour politician would make a better Prime Minister than the Reform leader, while 22 per cent prefer Mr Farage.
YouGov said Mr Burnham had consistently performed better than the other main party leaders in its head-to-head comparisons.
Conservatives Overtake Reform in Separate Polling
The latest findings come alongside another boost for the Conservative Party, with a separate polling tracker indicating that the Tories have moved ahead of Reform UK for the first time in almost two years.
The Mail on Sunday previously reported that a poll conducted by Lord Ashcroft had placed the Conservatives eight percentage points ahead of Reform.
Focus group findings have also indicated growing voter interest in Mrs Badenoch’s direct communication style and her commitments to reducing taxes and welfare spending.
Mr Farage, meanwhile, has faced a series of controversies involving donations to his party and allegations surrounding Reform councillors.
Farage Questioned Over £5 Million Gift
The Reform UK leader confirmed on Sunday that he had been interviewed by the parliamentary sleaze watchdog over an undisclosed £5 million gift.
During an interview with the BBC, Mr Farage was asked whether he expected the investigation to reach an adverse conclusion.
He responded by questioning whether the establishment would rule against him because he leads what he described as an insurgent political party.
“Do I think the establishment would find against me, the leader of an insurgent party? What a question to ask,” he said.
Conservatives Set Out Their Election Strategy
Following the latest polling developments, a Conservative source outlined how the party intends to position itself ahead of the next general election.
The source described the potential contest as a choice between a Labour Party led by Mr Burnham and a Conservative Party under Mrs Badenoch.
The source criticised Labour over taxation, government borrowing and welfare spending, while presenting the Conservatives as committed to reducing taxes, lowering the deficit and cutting welfare expenditure.
The party also highlighted its plans to increase defence funding and encourage more people back into employment.
The source said the Conservatives intended to pursue policies that would “get Britain working again.”
