❓WHAT HAPPENED: British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s approval ratings have dropped to an all-time low, with only 18 per cent of the public holding a favourable view of him.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Prime Minister Starmer, Chancellor Rachel Reeves, Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham, and other Labour Party officials.
📍WHEN & WHERE: The United Kingdom, as per the latest YouGov polling.
🎯IMPACT: Britain’s ruling Labour Party is facing internal dissent, with calls for leadership changes and speculation over a potential coup against Starmer.
British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is facing mounting political pressure as new polling shows his public approval has crashed to record lows, amid growing dissatisfaction with the Labour Party’s handling of the economy, immigration, and national leadership. A YouGov survey found that only 18 per cent of the public holds a favourable view of Starmer, while 72 per cent view him unfavourably, giving the prime minister a net approval rating of minus 54. The figures mark a sharp decline in support for a party that won office on what was already a historically low share of the vote in mid-2024.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves, whose role is roughly equivalent to U.S. Treasury Secretary, is faring even worse than Starmer. Her approval rating has dropped to just 12 percent, with 71 percent of voters holding a negative opinion, leaving her with a net score of minus 59. Reeves has faced criticism over claims she was dishonest about a supposed “black hole” in the public finances, which was used to justify punishing tax hikes.
Polling also shows that Nigel Farage’s Reform Party is now significantly ahead of Labour, leading by roughly 28 percent to 18 percent. The far-left Green Party and the formerly governing Conservatives (Tories) are tied at around 17 per cent, with the latter continuing to struggle following their historic collapse at last year’s general election after presiding over record-breaking immigration, legal and illegal, across 14 years in office.
Starmer’s personal standing appears to be dragging down Labour more broadly. Recent constituency (electoral district)-level data suggests that a majority of constituencies prefer Farage over Starmer as Prime Minister. Other surveys indicate that the public now trusts Farage more than Starmer to lead the country. Starmer’s difficulties have also extended beyond domestic politics, with reports earlier this week that U.S. President Donald Trump halted implementation of a British trade deal, citing frustration with Labour’s leadership.
As Labour’s position weakens, speculation is growing about a possible leadership challenge. Manchester‘s Mayor Andy Burnham has emerged as a leading potential contender. Reports indicate that Burnham is seeking a parliamentary seat to position himself to challenge Starmer—with British prime ministers and government ministers generally being Members of Parliament (MPs), due to the relative lack of separation of powers in the British constitutional system. One unnamed Labour MP was quoted as saying: “It’s happening. We are on the brink of securing a seat which is likely to come free shortly and where the polls say Andy would beat Reform.”
Burnham previously served in Cabinet roles under both Tony Blair and Gordon Brown and has since rebranded himself as a more left-populist figure during his tenure as Mayor of Manchester.
Image by Simon Dawson / Number 10 Downing Street.
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