Keir Starmer’s popularity has fallen significantly by 49 points in less than four months.
Keir Starmer has experienced the most dramatic decline in approval rating among British prime ministers in recent times, according to a recent poll. Starmer’s popularity now falls below that of his predecessor, Rishi Sunak, at the time of his resignation in July.
Starmer assumed office in July after the Labour Party secured a decisive victory in the general election. Aiming to distance himself from the left-leaning policies of his predecessor, Jeremy Corbyn, Starmer pledged to steer Labour back towards the centrist approach of Tony Blair, emphasizing “good governance, national security, secure borders, and economic stability.”
Just under four months into his term as prime minister, Starmer’s approval rating has plummeted from a post-election peak of +11 to a disheartening low of -38, according to a survey of 1,012 adults conducted by More in Common.
This 49-point drop in approval is “unprecedented” in recent history, More in Common Director Luke Tryl informed The Telegraph on Monday.
The poll indicates that Starmer is less popular than Rishi Sunak was when he stepped down as prime minister and leader of the Conservative Party following July’s election. Sunak had an approval rating of -37 when his party suffered a decisive defeat at the hands of Labour, a figure which has since improved to -31.
Blair enjoyed a +60 approval rating after Labour’s landslide victory in the 1997 election, a figure that took three years to dip into negative territory.
Tryl told The Telegraph that two key decisions have contributed significantly to the decline in Starmer’s popularity. “If you ask what people have noticed, by a country mile it is the decision on the winter fuel allowance and the early release of prisoners,” he explained, adding that controversy surrounding Labour donor Waheed Alli’s gifts to senior officials, including Starmer, has also impacted the PM’s standing.
Last month, Starmer’s government tightened eligibility criteria for winter fuel payments, effectively denying around 10 million pensioners payments of up to £300 ($390) to assist with heating their homes. Days earlier, it was announced that thousands of prisoners, including convicted killers and kidnappers, would be released after serving only 40% of their sentences, in an effort to alleviate prison overcrowding.
As images surfaced of career criminals expressing gratitude to Starmer upon their release, the PM acknowledged that he “shares the public’s anger,” but maintained that “there was no choice.”
Meanwhile, hundreds of individuals have been incarcerated for participating in anti-Islam and anti-immigration riots across the UK in late July and early August. Over two dozen individuals have been sentenced to prison for online offenses, including the wife of a Conservative councillor who received a 31-month prison sentence for posting messages on X calling for the burning down of migrant accommodation.
The More in Common poll was released ahead of Starmer’s inaugural budget on Wednesday, which is expected to include tax increases to fund healthcare and housing expenditure. Approximately 68% of respondents expressed concern about the budget, while 70% indicated that, overall, “things are getting worse” in the UK.