Greens Leapfrog Labour Into Second Place After By-Election Triumph, New Poll Reveals
The Green Party has leapfrogged Labour into second place across the UK in the wake of the party’s stunning victory in the Gorton and Denton by-election, according to a new poll.
The YouGov survey for Sky News and The Times put the party on 21% after their support surged by four points in the past week.
The pollster said it was the highest level of support for the Greens that they have ever recorded.
The party is now just two points behind Reform UK, who are on 23%, and five points ahead of Labour, who slumped by two points to just 16%.
The Tories are also on 16% after falling two points, while the Lib Dems are unchanged on 14%.
A YouGov spokesman said: “This is the highest we’ve had the Greens and the first time we’ve had them in second. It is also the lowest we have had Labour.
“In terms of how meaningful this is, it is obviously likely driven to a significant extent by the publicity from the Denton and Gorton by-election, as well as any impact it has from the Greens appearing a more viable option and less of a wasted vote.
“It remains to be seen to what extent it sticks, or whether it fades again as the immediate publicity boost recedes.”
The Greens’ Hannah Spencer caused a political earthquake with her by-election victory last Thursday, which saw Labour beaten into third place in what had been one of their safest seats.
A Green Party source said: “We are coming for Reform and on the path to replacing Labour.
“Voters have been let down time and time again by high bills, toxic rhetoric on migration and failure to make real change to improve people’s lives.
“Gorton and Denton showed that if people vote Green, they can get Green. Starmer can smear us as much as he wants but the voters want change and increasingly see the Greens as party to break the failed status quo.”
In a further boost for the party, it was announced on Sunday that its membership has now topped 200,000 – three times what it was when Zack Polanski was elected leader last September.