With Over Half of Brits Losing Faith, Is the UK Spiraling in the Wrong Direction Under Labour as Sir Keir Starmer’s Popularity Hits Rock Bottom?H
Sir Keir Starmer‘s favourability rating has dropped to zero and more than half of Britons believe the country is heading in the wrong direction, according to a poll.
In a sign that Labour‘s honeymoon period is coming to an end, the Ipsos survey found the Prime Minister’s net rating has slumped from seven immediately after the election to zero.
But he remains the most popular politician asked about in the poll – with 38 per cent having a favourable opinion – though 38 per cent also have an unfavourable one.
The Ipsos survey also found just 22 per cent think things in Britain are heading in ‘the right direction’, while more than half – 52 per cent – think they are going in the wrong direction.
Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner also faced a dip in ratings, with 33 per cent feeling favourably and 36 per cent unfavourably.
Sir Keir Starmer ‘s (pictured) favourability rating has dropped to zero, according to a poll
Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner also faced a dip in ratings, with 33 per cent feeling favourably and 36 per cent unfavourably
he poll also found an increase in the numbers of those who hold unfavourable opinions towards Home Secretary Yvette Cooper and Chancellor Rachel Reeves.
Some 28per cent said they are favourable towards Ms Cooper and 33per cent unfavourable, with 27per cent favourable towards Ms Reeves and 35per cent unfavourable.
Ratings for Mr Sunak and the Conservative Party remain steady post-election – 20per cent said they were favourable towards Mr Sunak and 58per cent unfavourable.
Gideon Skinner, senior director of UK politics at Ipsos, said: ‘Labour and Keir Starmer are still enjoying a moderate honeymoon period as they enter their second month in government – the public feel somewhat more positively towards them then they did before the election was called.
‘They are more popular than their main opponents, and their ratings are above the equivalent figures for Boris Johnson and the Conservatives two months after their 2019 victory, and above the two months after Rishi Sunak became PM.
The poll also found an increase in the numbers of those who hold unfavourable opinions towards Home Secretary Yvette Cooper (right) and Chancellor Rachel Reeves (left)
‘But Labour’s ratings are not impregnable (for example, Boris Johnson benefited from a bigger halo effect at the start of the Covid pandemic).
‘There are signs of a small increase in public criticism of Labour, the Prime Minister and other key Cabinet ministers this month, but just as important for their longer-term prospects is the level of pessimism around the state of the country.
‘This is not as bad as it was under the Conservatives, but half of Britons still think things are going in the wrong direction, and delivering on the public’s desire for improvements will be key when the honeymoon period ends..’
Ipsos interviewed a representative sample of 1,148 adults aged 18 and over across Britain between August 9-12.
Data is weighted to match the profile of the population. All polls are subject to a wide range of potential sources of error.
