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%.

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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.

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)

Will Jennings, Sky News polling analyst, said the YouGov survey "represents a moment of huge danger to the Conservatives".

"Because of the geography of their support, Reform are not projected to win many seats, but they could still cost the Conservatives wins in narrowly contested seats across the country," he said.

"In many places this will make the difference between a constituency returning a Conservative or Labour MP."

A Reform UK spokesperson said: "One poll does not make an election. However it is clear that the Tories are broken, just as they have broken the country.

"Right now, Labour will win, but Reform are the only real opposition.

"Those who are thinking of voting Conservative out of misplaced loyalty should think again. They can and should vote for a party with the energy and imagination to challenge a Labour hegemony."

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 striking a pact with the Conservatives after senior Tory Suella Braverman 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 comeback 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 the launch of his manifesto.

The policy document contained promises to make another 2p cut to national insurance (NI), a new tax break for pensioners and the abolishment of NI altogether for the self-employed.

But it has failed to shift the dial for Mr Sunak, who was already 20 points behind Labour when he made the surprise decision to call the election for 4 July.