Nigel Farage’s approval rating has plummeted to its lowest level since the general election amid the row over the Reform UK leader’s finances, a new poll has found.

The Opinium survey showed Mr Farage’s rating has fallen sharply to -27, with more than half of voters disapproving of the Reform leader and only a quarter approving.

This was comfortably his lowest rating of this Parliament, and put him behind all other major party leaders apart from outgoing Prime Minister Keir Starmer (-45).

Tory leader Kemi Badenoch’s rating improved to -3, while Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey remained on -5, and Green leader Zack Polanski rose slightly to -16.

Andy Burnham, the former Greater Manchester mayor who is set to replace Sir Keir as Labour leader and PM on 20 July, was at -8.

There was further bad news for Mr Farage with the poll finding Reform’s vote share has fallen to its lowest level since early January last year.

His party were backed by 24 per cent of voters – down two percentage points since last week – which was Reform’s weakest result in an Opinium poll in more than 18 months.

Labour were backed by 19 per cent of voters, while the Conservatives were on 18 per cent support, with the Greens on 16 per cent, and Lib Dems on 12 per cent.

Nigel Farage’s approval rating has plummeted to its lowest level since the general election amid the row over the Reform UK leader’s finances

There was further bad news for Mr Farage with the Opinium poll finding Reform’s vote share has fallen to its lowest level since early January last year

Opinium’s James Crouch said: ‘For the first time this Parliament, Nigel Farage looks politically vulnerable’

Mr Farage has dramatically triggered a by-election in the Clacton seat he won at the 2024 general election.

It comes amid a parliamentary standards probe into a £5million gift he received from Thailand-based crypto-billionaire Christopher Harborne.

The Reform leader is also facing questions over support he is reported to have been provided by convicted criminal George Cottrell.

In further claims about Mr Cottrell’s backing for Mr Farage and Reform, it was reported that the crypto-gambler used his own money to cover office costs totalling thousands of pounds for the party as recently as last year.

The 32-year-old, was jailed for eight months in the US in 2017 after pleading guilty to a charge of wire fraud, is said to have repeatedly used his personal bank card to buy computer tools and software to be used by party staff.

According to The Sunday Times, none of the donations were declared to the Electoral Commission as required by law.

The newspaper also reported that Mr Cottrell – who Reform says has never had an official role within the party – has long had personal access to Mr Farage’s party email and had his own desk next to Mr Farage’s private office at Reform’s headquarters in Westminster.

Asked about the latest reports on the links between Reform, Mr Cottrell and Mr Farage, former Tory chancellor Nadhim Zahawi – who has now defected to Reform – told the BBC: ‘It’s up to the people of Clacton to back him or sack him.’

He claimed Mr Farage and Reform were being subjected to a ‘coordinated’ attack at Westminster ‘to stop Nigel, to stop Reform’ from forming a government.

Reform strongly denied the Sunday Times report and said they were confident they had complied with all donations rules.

A party spokesman said: ‘The British people are tired of the establishment media doing anything they can to stop Reform.

‘A daily routine of hit jobs and smears will not deter us from winning the next general election and fixing broken Britain. It’s now clear that the establishment will try anything to stop us.’

Mr Farage has vowed to fight a ‘people versus the establishment’ by-election, which will be held on 13 August, amid the intense scrutiny of his personal finances.

But other parties have accused Mr Farage of staging a ‘hissy fit’ and boycotted the contest, which has left comedy candidate Count Binface as his most notable opponent.

The Opinium poll found Mr Farage’s weakest ratings are on being trustworthy (-32), looking like a prime minister in waiting (-26), and being trusted to take big decisions (-24).

Opinium’s James Crouch said: ‘For the first time this Parliament, Nigel Farage looks politically vulnerable.

‘Reform’s vote share has fallen into the low 20s, his personal ratings have hit a new low, and the standards row appears to be taking a real toll.

‘The question now is whether Labour or the Conservatives can capitalise.’