Humiliation for Keir Starmer as half of Labour supporters say his government is failing

By Jonathan Walker, Whitehall Editor

Sir Keir Starmer has disappointed Labour supporters (Image: Getty)

Half of Labour’s own supporters believe the Government is failing, shock new polling shows. The damning verdict on Sir Keir Starmer and his colleagues follows rows over winter fuel payments and disability benefits, as well as concern over the Government’s failure to end small boat crossings, with 50,000 arrivals since Labour came to power.

Polling by YouGov found 50% of Labour voters disapprove of the Government’s performance so far, with just 28% saying they approve. It gives Sir Keir a net disapproval rating of 22%. Among voters as a whole, 68% disapprove of the Government’s performance and just 13% are pleased. That is a net disapproval rating of 55%, the worst figure in any YouGov survey since last year’s General Election.

In a sign that Labour is worried about the threat from Reform, former party leader Lord Kinnock has urged colleagues to step up attacks on Nigel Farage in advance of next year’s elections to the Welsh Parliament or Senedd.

Labour has run Wales since the devolved government was first created in 1999, but Reform believes it is in with a chance of gaining control in next year’s vote.

Lord Kinnock said in an interview with website LabourList: “It’s very good to deride Farage and his posse, but exposing and repeating their falsehoods, their fictions, their insults to the intelligence of the electorate and their evasions should be a daily activity for all progressives, and particularly the Labour Party.”

He added: “Even policies that have a superficial plausibility turn out to be snake oil. They need examination and exposure, and I wish more of it was happening.”

Sir Keir and Chancellor Rachel Reeves are reportedly set to make the case for more tax rises in the run-up to the Budget, expected in November, but any increases are likely to dent Labour’s popularity further.

Business leaders including the CBI and British Retail Consortium have warned that putting up National Insurance contributions in last year’s Budget has added to employment costs and made it harder for firms to recruit staff.

Figures earlier this week showed that unemployment remained at a four-year high at 4.7%, while the number of job vacancies fell by 44,000 over three momths with the arts, entertainment and recreation sectors hardest hit.

Some Labour figures, including former shadow chancellor Anneliese Dodds, are calling on the Chancellor to introduce a “wealth tax” on the largest businesses and wealthiest individuals.