Starmer's approval ratings at lowest level since becoming PM after welfare chaos
A More in Common poll also found seven in 10 voters think Sir Keir's government is at least as chaotic as the Tories' previous term
www.independent.co.ukHere’s the latest on Keir Starmer’s approval rating based on recent public polling:
- As of mid-2024 to 2025, several polls showed Starmer’s personal approval under pressure after Labour’s victory, with ratings sinking from positive early months to net negatives in later surveys. For example, reports from October 2024 indicated a steep drop to a negative net approval around -38, significantly lower than some predecessors at comparable points. Another widely cited track showed his rating trailing that of the Conservative leader at that time, highlighting a “honeymoon” that quickly ended.[3][4]
- In 2025, many polls continued to reflect political headwinds for Starmer, with net approval often negative and disapproval numbers rising, though there were occasional modest upticks depending on issues and events such as Israel policy and domestic welfare/legislation. A few surveys suggested brief improvements or stabilizations in certain windows, but the overall trend remained negative in many mainstream trackers.[6][9]
- By late 2025 and into 2026, UK coverage frequently described Starmer's approval as volatile and often unfavorable in national sentiment, with some outlets noting that his popularity lagged behind political rivals and fluctuated in response to policy decisions and external events. Additional commentary underscored that leadership ratings can be highly sensitive to welfare, security, and foreign policy decisions, which have driven swings in public opinion over time.[4][5][8][9]
Illustrative takeaway:
- Public opinion on Starmer has shown a pattern of an initial honeymoon followed by a notable decline in approval, with disapproval frequently outpacing approval in many polls across 2024–2025 and into 2026.[9][3][4]
If you’d like, I can pull the most recent specific poll figures (with dates, sample sizes, and methodologies) and present them in a quick table, or track trends over the past 12 months to highlight when and why shifts occurred.