Mega poll hands Andy Burnham 56-seat majority in Labour revival as Tories pushed ahead of Reform UK

The Tories would become the second-largest party in the Commons but would remain far behind Labour with just 90 seats.

Nigel Farage's Reform UK, meanwhile, has been pushed into a close third place with 81 seats, meaning there will be a 171 seats held by a party on the right.

The Greens are projected to have four seats in Westminster, while the Liberal Democrats would win 70 seats, The Daily Mail revealed.

The latest evidence of the "Burnham bounce" could add to fevered speculation swirling over whether the Prime Minister will actually call a general election.

The Prime Minister may decide to call an early general election after publishing his 10-year plan later this autumn, the country's top union official told GB News last week.

TUC general secretary Paul Nowak suggested the Prime Minister could opt to trigger a shock snap election in time for Christmas.

Mr Nowak told GB News: "I don't think that the public are battering down Andy Burnham's door in Downing Street, saying, 'Let's have a general election'. We've got to get through the first Budget.

"Let's see Andy's 10-year plan. He might decide, actually, 'I've not got enough room within the manifesto to deliver the change that I think we need to see.'"

Ahead of Labour Party Conference in Liverpool, Mr Burnham ruled out triggering a snap contest. He then raised eyebrows by proposing a new voting system.

Labour was accused of “ramming through” reforms that would let voters use bank cards without photographs as valid ID at polling stations, The Telegraph revealed.

Ministers have confirmed bank cards would need to show only the holder's initials, not their full first name, and would not need to display the owner's sex.

Addressing the policy on GB News this morning, Defence Secretary Wes Streeting said Labour was investigating how “we make our elections fairer”.

Meanwhile, Mrs Badenoch has turned heads by repeatedly insisting that her party was prepared for a general election despite senior party figures suggesting otherwise.

Conservative Party Chairman Kevin Hollinrake suggested Tory insiders would rather Andy Burnham hold off until 2029 rather than call an election for May next year.

Speaking at a More in Common fringe event, Mr Hollinrake said: "We are not where we need to be right now. We don't want an election right now, ideally."

The comments sparked fury from Reform UK's economic spokesman Robert Jenrick, who said: "That is the Tory party all over: they say one thing public and the opposite in private.

"Lying to the British public is second nature to them. The old parties always look after themselves.

"The country needs a general election, but the Tories selfishly only care about their own jobs. They know they’ll be punished again for the damage they’ve done to the country and their lack of remorse."