UK (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Portland Communications poll reveals only 24% of Britons understand Keir Starmer’s vision, as Labour faces criticism over recent policy U-turns.
As reported by The Telegraph, a new poll finds fewer than one in four voters understand Sir Keir Starmer’s agenda, raising concerns over Labour’s direction.
What did the poll reveal about Keir Starmer’s vision?
A year into his premiership, just 24% of British adults say they understand Mr Starmer’s plans for Britain.
The poll revealed that 47% of participants said they did not understand the Labour leader’s vision, while 23% remained neutral or unsure.
Poll views on Nigel Farage and Kemi Badenoch’s
The survey, conducted by Portland Communications with 1,647 participants. It found that 40% of respondents said they understood Nigel Farage’s agenda. His message appeared clearer than that of other political leaders.
It revealed that only 26% of participants said they understood Tory leader Kemi Badenoch’s direction. Yet even without detailed policies, she outperformed Sir Keir in public clarity.
The Portland poll, conducted for its report Starmer’s Britain: The Battles Ahead, found widespread public pessimism about the nation’s outlook. A majority of voters expect the economy, healthcare, and immigration to decline rather than improve.
The most negative views were on immigration, where 51% believed the situation would worsen. Only 20% were optimistic, even with Labour’s crackdown on smugglers.
The poll found that 37% expect the NHS will decline, while 32% believe it will improve. On the economy, 45% predicted a downturn, with only 26% feeling hopeful.
Alastair Campbell’s views on Labour policies
Alastair Campbell, former press secretary to Tony Blair and now a senior adviser at Portland, urged Labour to draft a clearer narrative.
He said,
“The public consistently demands action on living standards, the NHS and immigration.”
Mr Campbell stated,
“To win a second term, Labour must demonstrate its ability to deliver on these priorities – and make clear that populism puts all of that at risk. But they must also be aware, as Joe Biden and Kamala Harris learnt to their cost, that delivery alone is not enough. You need a bold and confident national story, too,”
Adding,
“Farage will bleat from here until polling day that Britain is broken. Labour has to show, amid the multiple global crises and domestic challenges we face, that Britain’s best days lie ahead.”
YouGov survey on party support
The latest YouGov survey revealed that Reform extended its lead over Labour by four points, reaching 28%, while Labour dropped to 22%.
It showed the Conservatives stood at 17%, just one point ahead of the Liberal Democrats at 16%. The Green Party climbed to 12%.
How are voters in Wales shifting ahead of the Senedd polls?
Voters in Wales showed more support for Reform than the national average, with a rating of 4.7 out of 10 compared to 4.3 ahead of next year’s Welsh parliament vote.
Labour received less support in Wales, with voters rating it 3.3 out of 10, below the UK-wide average of 3.9.
Reform secured its first poll lead ahead of the 2025 Welsh elections. The party is focusing on the Senedd as part of a broader strategy to win over former Labour voters.
What did Luke Tryl say about who might be PM next?
Luke Tryl, the executive director of More in Common UK, stated,
“Only 13 per cent of Britons are confident Keir Starmer will remain in post after the next election, while a striking 41 per cent say they simply don’t know what the next elected government will look like.”
He added,
“In fact, the public rate Nigel Farage’s chances of becoming prime minister as highly as those of the current PM, with Reform voters particularly convinced their man will be walking into Downing Street.”