Nigel Farage's Brexit Party tops UK poll

Nigel Farage.
Nigel Farage. Photo credit: Getty

Could we soon be saying hi to UK Prime Minister Nigel Farage?

His new Brexit Party has topped a new poll, well ahead of both Labour and the Conservative Party, as calls for a general election grow stronger.

Twenty-six percent of Brits plan to vote for the Brexit Party according to a new poll conducted for newspaper the Observer, ahead of Labour on 22, the Conservatives on 17 and the Lib Dems on 16 and Greens on 11.

If that vote converted directly into seats, Farage's party could form a minority government with the Conservatives.

Another poll, this one conducted by YouGov for the Times, suggests there's a lot of volatility in the electorate however - this one had the anti-Brexit Lib Dems in front on 24 percent, followed by Farage's party on 22, and the Conservatives and Labour tied on 19 percent.

"For the time being at least, voters seem to be looking for the parties that represent their views on Brexit, rather than their usual party loyalties, to the benefit of those parties that have clear pro- and anti-EU positions, rather than the compromises that the main two parties have contorted themselves into," Anthony Wells, director of political research at YouGov, said.

Labour has called for a snap election, following Prime Minister Theresa May's announcement she'll step down after failing to find a deal to make Brexit happen.

But the UK's electoral system is first-past-the-post, not proportional like we have in New Zealand. Voters often end up having to choose between two candidates - usually Labour or the Conservatives - or risk wasting thier vote.

Channel 4 reports in 2015, Farage's former party UKIP would have got 80 seats in the Commons under proportional representation - but only ended up with one.

Newshub.