Keir Starmer’s approval ratings have dropped by a staggering 51 points since he was elected in July, a new survey has found.
The findings, in a poll by Opinium for the Observer, are a huge blow for the prime minister as he prepares for a major speech this week which is being seen as an attempt to “reset” his government and months of negative headlines.
According to the poll, Starmer’s net approval ratings – the difference between those who think positively of the PM and those who think negatively of him – has fallen from +19% to -32% in the last four months.
That includes a drop of eight points in just the last fortnight.
It comes after the government has been severely criticised for a number of controversial decisions, including axing winter fuel payments for millions of pensioners and putting up employers’ National Insurance contributions.
Thousands of farmers also marched on Whitehall two weeks ago to protest against the introduction of inheritance tax on agricultural properties.
There’s been plenty of commotion behind the doors of No.10 too, after Louise Haigh resigned as Starmer’s transport secretary over a 2014 fraud conviction on Friday – just a month after the PM sacked his chief of staff Sue Gray.
On Thursday, the PM will unveil a “plan for change” setting out how the government will implement its five missions of growing the economy, improving the NHS, cracking down on crime, achieving net zero and boosting education.
“Some may oppose what we are doing and no doubt there will be obstacles along the way, but this government was elected on mandate of change and our plan reflects the priorities of working people,” the PM said.
Housing minister Alex Norris this morning shrugged off Starmer’s declining popularity.
He told Times Radio that the last Tory government were “only preoccupied with the short term sugar hit of trying to get some positive headlines that day”.
He said that “kind of short term sticking plaster approach has left public services in a mess, has left the economy in a mess”.
He continued: “We are not going to act in that way. We’ve made clear principles at the election about what we want to see in this country. We’re going to work to deliver them over the length of the parliament.
“But we’re not going to be preoccupied by that day to day headline chasing because it doesn’t serve the British people.”
It was not all bad news for the PM, however.
Opinium found Starmer is still ahead of his main rival Kemi Badenoch, when respondents had to choose who makes the best prime minister – the Labour leader was on 23% compared to 18% for his Tory counterpart.