Nigel Farage has declared Reform UK “the opposition to Labour” after his party overtook the Tories for the first time in a new poll.

In a fresh blow to embattled Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, a survey by YouGov put Reform UK at 19%, compared to the Conservatives at 18%.

The results came out moments before an ITV debate between senior figures in the seven main parties.

Mr Farage wasted no time in gloating about the poll, saying in his opening statement: “Just before we came on air we overtook the Conservatives in the national opinion polls

“We are now the opposition to Labour.”

The poll was carried out after Mr Sunak unveiled a £17bn package of tax cuts in the Conservative manifesto earlier this week.

It shows Reform up two points, with Labour, the Lib Dems and the Greens all down one.

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The full results are:

Labour: 37% (-1)
Reform: 19% (+2)
Conservatives: 18% (nc)
Lib Dems: 14% (-1)
Green Party: 7% (-1)
SNP: 3% (+1)
Plaid Cymru: 1% (nc)
Other: 2% (+1)

After announcing his shock return to frontline politics last week, Mr Farage made clear his plans to replace the Tories as the official opposition if Labour win the landslide the current polls are predicting.

He has ruled out any suggestions of a pact with the Conservatives after Suella Braverman, the former home secretary, said her party should embrace the former UKIP leader on the grounds there was “not much difference really between him and many of the policies that we stand for”.

The poll is more bad news for Mr Sunak, who has struggled to make a come back from his D-day gaffe last week.

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Despite repeatedly apologising for skipping an international ceremony attended by the likes of US President Joe Biden to mark the allied landings, the prime minister has continued to face a backlash from rivals, veterans and some from within his own party.

Such was the extent of the furore that he was forced to quash rumours he could resign and acknowledge “people are frustrated with me” during his manifesto launch.

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