Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s approval ratings have plummeted to an unprecedented low as he prepares to address the Labour Party’s first conference since coming to power.
The Prime Minister’s approval rating has dropped to -26%, a dramatic decline of 45 points from the +19% he enjoyed when he first took office.
This sharp fall, highlighted in the latest Opinium polling, places him a point below his predecessor, Rishi Sunak—an unenviable position given Labour’s decisive victory only three months ago.
The survey reveals that fewer than one in four voters are satisfied with Starmer’s performance, while 50% disapprove of his handling of the country’s affairs. Alarmingly for Labour, nearly two-thirds of those surveyed believe the government has been unsuccessful in its early months. A significant number of Labour supporters from the July election are also expressing disillusionment, with a third indicating they are already dissatisfied with the government’s performance.
Adding to the party’s troubles, nearly half of the public now holds a more negative view of both Starmer and Labour since they took office. This erosion of confidence is not limited to the Prime Minister; his senior ministers are also seeing their public support evaporate.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves, criticised for cuts to the Winter Fuel Payment, has seen her approval rating tumble by 36 points since the election. Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner has experienced a 23-point drop, while Health Secretary Wes Streeting and Home Secretary Yvette Cooper have each suffered an 18-point decline in their favourability ratings. Meanwhile, Foreign Secretary David Lammy, often at the centre of controversy, has seen his support fall by 15 points.
These figures present a grim outlook for Starmer and his Cabinet as they head to Liverpool this week. What was once seen as a fresh start for Labour is now overshadowed by growing public dissatisfaction and a sense of faltering leadership. Starmer’s early promise as a stabilising force in British politics appears to be slipping away, with critics questioning whether he is losing control of both his party and the wider national narrative.
With murmurs of discontent already circulating within Labour’s ranks, this conference is set to be a pivotal moment for Starmer to assert his authority and outline a compelling vision for the country. The stakes could not be higher: Labour needs to prove it can deliver on its promises and reconnect with an electorate that appears increasingly disenchanted.
If Starmer fails to reverse his fortunes, he risks becoming a political casualty of his own making, his government defined not by its aspirations but by its inability to meet them. As the Prime Minister takes to the stage in Liverpool, the question looms large: can Sir Keir steady the ship and restore faith in his leadership, or is this the beginning of the end for his tenure at the top? The eyes of the party—and the nation—are watching closely.
Main Photo: Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Picture by Simon Dawson / No 10 Downing Street. CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0
