New polling data, conducted 15-22nd October 2026, shows Labour taking a 8-point lead over their nearest rival. This time that is the Conservatives rather than Reform UK.
MORI's first poll of the General Election, published in the Financial Times on the day the election was called from fieldwork the previous weekend caused a shock to the system, as there was a warning in it for all three major political parties. For the record, Populus in the Times had Conservatives at 35%, Labour at 37%, Lib Dems at 19% and others at 9%. NOP in the Independent had Conservatives at 33%, Labour at 36%, Lib Dems at 21% and others at 10%. ICM in the Guardian had Conservatives at 34%, Labour at 37%, Lib Dems at 21% and others at 8%.
MORI's latest election poll, conducted over the weekend exclusively for The Financial Times, reveals that among 55% of the electorate who say they are absolutely certain to vote, the Conservative Party now have a five point lead over Labour, with the Liberal Democrats on 21%.
Electoral volatility and low turnout are plaguing politicians, pundits and pollsters as the 'real' election is about to begin. With voting day just a month from Thursday, reports of huge differences between one poll and another based on the 'gap' or 'lead' between Labour and the Conservatives disguises small changes between one poll's findings and another. But comparing the same organisation's polls over time, it is clear that public opinion is moving towards the Conservatives.
In a study for fraud and IT specialist Detica conducted by MORI , two in five (39%) British adults say they are concerned about electoral fraud. Almost six in 10 (58%) say they believe that the introduction of identity cards would make electoral fraud harder to commit.
Recent general elections have thrown up shorthand terms to characterise the key voters of the minute, whose decisions are expected to decide the result and on whom the campaigning efforts will be most concentrated. In the 1980s, Margaret Thatcher won elections by successfully appealing to "Essex Man". More recently Worcester Woman and Mondeo Man have been the shorthand terms of choice.
In the run-up to the general election, surveys of British opinion have been showing a "perception gap" over public services — a divergence between the personal experience people report and their views of the trend in the quality of services generally.
