When it rains for Sir Keir Starmer, it pours. The Prime Minister faced the biggest rebellion of his premiership last week after 49 Labour rebels voted against his welfare bill – despite the government making significant concessions that effectively put off any reforms until the end of next year – and now the public has delivered a rather damning verdict on their new PM. YouGov polling reveals that 44 per cent of Brits think that, just a year into Labour’s first term, Starmer should quit the top job and let someone else take over as Labour leader. Crikey!
The survey – which quizzed 1,702 British adults on 7 July – revealed that almost one in two Britons think the PM should step aside, while a third think Starmer should stay on as Labour leader. Strikingly, among those who voted Labour at last year’s general election, a third believe the UK’s first Labour Prime Minister in 14 years should stand down. It’s hardly the best start to the job, eh?
The poll comes after a third big Labour U-turn, which saw initial reforms to personal insurance payments and universal credit reversed after more than 120 Labour backbenchers signed a reasoned amendment that would thwart the legislation. A first round of concessions saw the government suggest that existing PIP beneficiaries would be subject to different rules than future claimants, which sparked two- and even three-tier concerns. Further concessions came just hours before MPs voted – which pushed any welfare reforms back to at least the end of 2026, after the publication of the Timms review. Talking about putting the brakes on, eh?
Starmer Chameleon is no stranger to U-turns. His government has already rowed back on its winter fuel payment cuts and has changed course on the subject of a full national inquiry into Britain’s grooming gangs scandal. More than that, reports over the weekend noted that while the PM had hinted Labour could scrap the two-child benefit cap, the latest benefit bill reversal means that this now looks very much off the table.
Meanwhile, despite the botched launch of Jeremy Corbyn and Zarah Sultana’s new party last week, one in six Brits say they would consider voting for a new left-wing group – which could further problems on Labour’s left flank. In trying to please everyone, the PM is managing to satisfy, er, nobody.
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