Keir Starmer's Government Sinks To Its Lowest Ever Approval Rating After A Year In Power

Keir Starmer’s government has hit its lowest ever approval rating with the public, according to a damning new poll.

The YouGov survey, carried out to mark Labour’s first year in power, found that just 13% of voters are happy with the party’s performance.

By contrast, 67% of the public say they disapprove of how the government is doing.

That gives Starmer’s administration an approval rating of minus 54 – the joint worst figure it has had.

The findings are yet another blow for the prime minister after a separate poll by the More in Common think-tank found that 63% of the public think he does not respect them.

Policies like the decision to remove winter fuel payments from 10 million pensioners have led to Labour’s popularity plummeting in the 12 months since Starmer’s landslide general election victory.

The PM has also performed a series of high-profile U-turns, including his decision to water down planned cuts to the welfare bill, which have severely damaged his authority.

He is now facing calls to impose a wealth tax on the super-rich as a way for chancellor Rachel Reeves to balance the books.

Figures released today by the independent Budget for Office Responsibility showed the extent of the challenge Reeves faces as she prepares for the Budget in the autumn.

They said that Starmer’s welfare climbdown, plus his U-turn on the winter fuel cuts, have contributed to government debt continuing to rise.

The OBR warned that the debt is projected to be “above 270% of GDP (gross domestic product) by the early 2070s”.

Recent rises in debts have led to “a substantial erosion of the UK’s capacity to respond to future shocks and growing pressures on the public finances,” the OBR said.