Keir Starmer misery as poll shows how Labour voters really feel about party since election_l
Sir Keir Starmer marks 100 days in office today – but few would deny that his government has got off to a shaky start.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer (Image: Getty)
Sir Keir Starmer has been dealt a crushing blow on the day his Labour government hits the 100-day mark – with a new poll suggesting almost half of those who voted for the party on July 4 now feel “let down2.
The YouGov research, published today, will make grim reading for the Prime Minister, bogged down as he is with widespread public anger over plans to means-test the £300 winter fuel payment for pensioners.
Questions have also been asked about his decision to accept gifts of clothes and glasses from wealthy donor Lord Alli, with other senior Labour figures including Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner and Chancellor Rachel Reeves also in the spotlight.
The survey suggests a paltry nine percent of Britons believe the country is in a better state following the general election, including just 24 percent of Labour voters.
The public is fairly evenly split between people who see no real change so far (44 percent) and those who think things have actually got worse (39 percent).
YouGov’s poll will make grim reading for Sir Keir (Image: YouGov)
Almost half of those who backed Labour three months ago (47 percent) say they had positive expectations of Starmer’s government but feel let down so far.
A mere 30 percent believe Labour has done as well as they had hoped.
On a more positive note for Sir Keir, 61 percent are supportive of the government for having agreed new pay deals with striking junior doctors.
Clear majorities (56-57 percent) back the suspension of arms sales to Israel, lifting the ban on building onshore wind farms, and maintaining the two-child cap on certain welfare benefits.
However, two of Labour’s major decisions in office get a clear thumbs-down from the public – the aforementioned winter fuel allowance means testing, seen negatively by 55 percent of people, and the decision to free some prisoners early to avoid prison overcrowding (disapproved of by 68 percent of respondents).
Sir Keir Starmer and wife Victoria outside No10 after his general election win on July 4 (Image: Getty)
YouGov’s poll found that 17 percent of Britons say “I have high hopes for the Labour Government, and I am sure they are going to do a good job”.
Thirty-seven percent were more lukewarm, agreeing that “I do not have high hopes for the Labour Government, but I am willing to give them the benefit of the doubt”.
The data for the poll was collected in two separate surveys.
The first was conducted between October 4-6 and surveyed 2,121 adults in Great Britain.
The decision to begin means-testing the winter fuel allowances has proven highly controversial (Image: Getty)
The second was conducted from October 8-9 and surveyed 2,139 adults, also in Great Britain.
The Government met its commitment on workers’ rights on Thursday, introducing the Employment Rights Bill just within the 100-day deadline, although ministers conceded many of the rights would not come into force until 2026.
Many of the other commitments for its first months in office have also been met. The Rwanda policy was scrapped on day one, the National Planning Policy Framework has been changed, GB Energy and the new national wealth fund have both been launched, work on the “Nato test” has begun and the Council of Nations and Regions was scheduled to hold its first meeting on Friday.
The international investment summit has been arranged but will take place on October 14, two days after the 100-day deadline.
