LONDON — Labour has made a significant recovery in several UK opinion polls following Andy Burnham's arrival as Prime Minister, putting the governing party much closer to Reform UK than it was before the leadership change.

Polling conducted since Burnham took office on July 20 shows a notable improvement in Labour's position. Survation put Labour on 26%, ahead of Reform UK on 24%, while another More in Common survey gave Labour a larger lead. YouGov recorded the two parties level at 22%.

The change represents a striking shift from the political picture before Burnham became Prime Minister, when Labour was struggling to maintain support and Reform UK had established a stronger position in several surveys.

Burnham's early political strategy has focused heavily on cost-of-living measures and practical economic changes. His government has announced policies including the removal of VAT from household electricity bills, a bus-fare cap and tax relief for pubs and bars.

The polling boost also comes as Reform UK faces scrutiny over political donations and gifts involving wealthy supporters. Reform leader Nigel Farage has criticised the scrutiny, while Burnham has warned his party against becoming overconfident about its early gains.

The figures do not represent an election result, but they indicate that Britain's political contest could be entering a new phase. Labour's challenge will be turning its initial polling improvement into sustained public support as Burnham's government begins implementing its wider programme.