UK Starmer Public Approval Hits Unprecedented Low

(MENAFN) UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has hit an unprecedented low in public approval, with a staggering 79% of Britons expressing dissatisfaction with his leadership, according to an Ipsos poll released on Sunday.

The sharp decline in Starmer’s popularity follows a series of controversies, including his handling of immigration policies, a rise in arrests over online comments, the ongoing cost of living crisis, and the resurgence of the Pakistani rape gang scandal. The survey, which polled 1,157 British adults, revealed that just 13% of respondents are satisfied with Starmer’s performance, marking a 6% drop since June. The disapproval rating has similarly increased by 6%.

“Keir Starmer’s personal satisfaction ratings are the worst for any prime minister polled by Ipsos since we first started asking the question in 1977,” said Ipsos Senior Director of UK Politics Gideon Skinner in the report.

Both the Conservative and Labour parties are seeing defections to the right-wing Reform UK party, with nearly 40% of 2024 Conservative voters and 13% of former Labour supporters indicating they would back Reform if an election were held today, Ipsos reported.

The growing discontent is also reflected in widespread protests against the government's policies, particularly around immigration and free speech. Demonstrations have intensified in recent months, including the "Unite the Kingdom" rally earlier this month in London. While the Metropolitan Police estimate the crowd at 110,000 to 150,000, organizers claimed the turnout was as high as three million.

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, who played a key role in the Brexit movement, has capitalized on public dissatisfaction by addressing concerns over immigration. He has vowed to dismantle the current immigration scheme that grants migrants indefinite stay after five years and replace it with a new visa system.

A YouGov poll conducted on Friday suggested that Reform UK would secure 311 seats in the House of Commons if a general election were held now, just 15 seats shy of an outright majority. The next general election is scheduled for 2029.

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