Burnham and Badenoch gain in polls after conference speeches
Opinium polling shows Labour on 29% and the Conservatives up three points to 20% after party conferences, with Reform at 23%. A Daily Mirror columnist argues Badenoch's speech rejecting Reform's rhetoric on race comes too late.
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The story, neutrally told
Centre · 1Opinium polling puts Labour on 29 per cent and Reform UK on 23 per cent, with the Conservatives up three points to 20 per cent after their annual conference. Evening StandardN “The latest Opinium polling puts Labour on 29 per cent, with Reform on 23 per cent and the Conservatives up three points up to 20 per cent following their annual conference.” Read at Evening Standard ↗ Centre · 1The Greens dipped two points to nine per cent, while the Liberal Democrats were unchanged at nine per cent. Evening StandardN “The Greens have dipped two points to nine per cent, while support for the Liberal Democrats remains unchanged at 9 per cent.” Read at Evening Standard ↗ Centre · 1The Evening Standard reports that a third of voters viewed Badenoch's conference speech positively and 14 per cent negatively, while more than half had no clear view; it says she may have secured an early conference bounce after unveiling plans including a pledge to cut inheritance tax, as reported by the Mail on Sunday. Evening StandardN “a third of voters viewed Badenoch's conference speech positively, compared with 14 per cent who reacted negatively. More than half said they had no clear view.”“including a pledge to cut inheritance tax, the Mail on Sunday reports.” Read at Evening Standard ↗
Centre · 1Prime Minister Andy Burnham's Labour has, according to polling cited by The Independent, reached its strongest position since early 2025, with gains among former Labour supporters and 18-to-24-year-olds. Evening StandardN “According to polling cited by The Independent, Labour has reached its strongest position since early 2025.”“Labour's ratings among 18 to 24-year-olds improving while Reform's remain relatively low among that age group.” Read at Evening Standard ↗ Centre · 1In his conference speech, Burnham pledged to break with the political direction of the past 40 years and put Britain on a new path. Evening StandardN “I will make a break with the direction of the past 40 years and put Britain on a new path.” Read at Evening Standard ↗ Centre · 1The Standard says Green momentum is slowing under Zack Polanski, citing his party's failure to win the Holborn and St Pancras by-election and controversy over a "Zionism is Racism" motion passed at its conference, from which some Green councillors have distanced themselves. Evening StandardN “His failure to win last week's Holborn and St Pancras by-election has raised fresh questions about the party's strategy”“A number of Green councillors and elected representatives have since sought to distance themselves from the motion” Read at Evening Standard ↗
Centre · 1The polling gains coincide with Westminster speculation about a snap general election; Burnham has repeatedly played it down, while Badenoch told the Mail on Sunday she has instructed the Conservatives to be ready for an election "at any point". Evening StandardN “The Prime Minister has repeatedly played down the prospect, insisting he wants to focus on governing rather than campaign planning.”“I've instructed the Conservative Party to be ready for an election at any point” Read at Evening Standard ↗ Left · 1In her speech, Badenoch ruled out a Tory-Reform coalition, saying "We are not reuniting with that", and rejected what she called people who threaten journalists, call veterans traitors and debate whether her mixed-race children are English. Daily MirrorL ““We are not reuniting with that,” she said last week, ruling out a Tory-Reform coalition.”“I don’t want to live in a country run by people who threaten journalists, who call veterans traitors and who debate whether my mixed-race children are English.” Read at Daily Mirror ↗ Left · 1In a Daily Mirror opinion column, Darren Lewis acknowledges the speech was widely praised but argues it comes too late, citing Badenoch's past defence of the Sewell Report and her remarks on Frank Hester and Robert Jenrick, and suggesting the condemnation looks more like a bid for centre-right support than a rejection of her own politics. Daily MirrorL “Her condemnation of the racists now appears more like a move to grab centre-right support than a rejection of her own politics.”“So yes, her speech may have been widely praised” Read at Daily Mirror ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left1 outlet
- Framing
- Opinion column that accepts the speech was praised but argues Badenoch's rejection of Reform's racism is hypocritical and too late given her record.
- Emphasis
- Badenoch's past statements and positions on race, and her ascent to the Tory leadership.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not mention the polling gains or Burnham.
- Charged language
- “gaslighting”“special sauce”“powder keg”“too little too late”
- For example
-
“Time will tell if she has genuinely seen the light.” — Daily Mirror
“She played a key role in turning the country into a powder keg when we begged her to stop.” — Daily Mirror
Centre1 outlet
- Framing
- News analysis asking whether UK politics is returning to a Labour-Conservative contest, presenting both leaders' conference speeches as well received and helping consolidate support.
- Emphasis
- Poll figures, Reform and Green slippage, early-election speculation and quotes from both leaders.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Gives no critical view of Badenoch's record on race or of the Reform-related content of her speech.
- Charged language
- “two-horse race”
- For example
-
“well-received party conference speeches by the Prime Minister Burnham and Conservative leader Badenoch appear to have helped both leaders consolidate support” — Evening Standard
Right0 outlets
No right outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
What every side reports
- Badenoch gave a conference speech last week that was widely praised.
- Badenoch's speech rejected Reform's rhetoric and a Tory-Reform tie-up.
Where accounts differ
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Significance of Badenoch's speech
- Left
- Praise comes from those without experience of racism; it is too late and may be a bid for centre-right votes.
- Centre
- A well-received speech that helped consolidate Conservative support and may have produced a bounce.
Kemi Badenoch person
Says the Conservatives must be ready for an election at any point and, in her speech, rejected any reunion with Reform's rhetoric; a Mirror columnist disputes her sincerity.
“I've instructed the Conservative Party to be ready for an election at any point” — Evening Standard
““We are not reuniting with that,” she said last week” — Daily Mirror
Andy Burnham person
Presents himself as breaking with 40 years of consensus and has played down early-election talk to focus on governing.
“I am ready to do things my predecessors wouldn’t.” — Evening Standard
“insisting he wants to focus on governing rather than campaign planning” — Evening Standard
Reform UK party
Described as slipping in the polls to 23 per cent; Badenoch's speech rejected its rhetoric. The coverage gives no response from the party.
“momentum for Reform UK and the Green Party shows signs of slowing” — Evening Standard
Left1 article
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Daily MirrorL · · Opinion
DARREN LEWIS: 'Badenoch rejecting Reform racism might be too little too late'
Critical Opinion piece arguing Badenoch's anti-Reform speech is undermined by her record on race.
Centre1 article
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Could UK politics return to a two-horse race? Burnham and Badenoch climb in the polls
Neutral Poll-led analysis presenting both leaders' speeches as well received and asking whether two-party politics is returning.
Right0 articles
No coverage yet.
- 11 Oct 10:56 First Evening StandardN Could UK politics return to a two-horse race? Burnham and Badenoch climb in the polls
- 12 Oct 17:56 +31h Daily MirrorL DARREN LEWIS: 'Badenoch rejecting Reform racism might be too little too late' Opinion
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.
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