Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is now as unpopular as Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, a new opinion polling has found. Almost two-thirds of people (60%) questioned now hold an unfavourable opinion of the Labour Party, according to the YouGov survey.
The findings come just months after it swept to power with a landslide majority at the general election in July. However there have already been some unpopular decisions including stripping the Winter Fuel Allowance from millions of pensioners.
Sir Keir’s net favourability ratings have dropped to minus 36 with the British public, while Mr Farage is at minus 35. However outgoing Conservative party leader Rishi Sunak is less popular than either of the politicians, with a minus 42 rating among the public.
The YouGov research quizzed 2,121 adults across Britain between October 4 and 6. It found just one in four (27%) of people questioned have a favourable opinion of the Prime Minister, with 63% holding an unfavourable view. Nine percent did not know, which gave him a net score of minus 36 favourability.
Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner was seen as the second least favourable Cabinet minister among the public, with a minus 25 net rating, while Transport Secretary Louise Haigh had the most favourable rating with a minus eight score, However 82% of those polled did not have an opinion on her.
Out of the political party leaders Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey scores much better with the public with a minus seven net rating, though 43% of those polled said they did not know what their opinion was of him.
Among Sir Keir’s top team no Cabinet minister had a net positive rating, though Rachel Reeves has the least favourable opinion among the public, scoring minus 29. Opinion of the Chancellor may have been coloured by her announcement that the Government will scrap the universal winter fuel payment for pensioners, limiting the benefit to only the poorest.
Labour is judged unfavourably by 60% of the public in the latest research, just ahead of Reform UK at 59%. The Tories continue to be the least popular political party following the election, with 65% of the public holding an unfavourable view of them.
Elsewhere, none of the Tory leadership contenders had a net positive favourability with the public. Kemi Badenoch was the least popular, with a minus 27 rating.
Robert Jenrick and James Cleverly both had a minus 19 rating. Tom Tugendhat was seen as the most favourable among those polled with a minus 13 rating.