Keir Starmer mulls Partygate investigator Sue Gray for chief of staff In his party conference speech in which Corbyn supporters were reduced to impotent heckling Starmer derided Johnson as a trivial politician; in the Commons, Starmer repeated the line the joke is wearing thin. As February ends, the Prime Minister remains mired in an extended poll slump, while the Labour leader and his party continue to ride high. Opinion polls show Labour with an average 8% lead over the Conservatives. Rishi Sunak's popularity slumps in new poll as Keir Starmer overtakes Keir Starmer and the Labour Party. | Page 1274 | AVForums The latest news, data and analysis on the worlds pandemic response. Log in to access content and manage your profile. Much as I detest Starmer and the current Labour Party he will likely win back the ugly racist Brexit gammons who voted Tory or Farage last election, he won't loose safe seats like mine, and he won't care if a few of the more comfortable and liberal Tory seats flip Lib Dem. The Socialist Campaign Group of MPs did not have the numbers to trigger a leadership election, let alone a candidate; Rayner had been one of theirs but she had compromised with the ideological enemy in the party. As a strategy to win an election the speech "did the trick". Starmers Labour increasingly looks like a pale replica of the modern Conservative Party, which publicly extols the virtues of unfettered markets while privately skewing the economic battle-space in big businesss favour - a covert socialism, but for the rich only. Keir Starmer grilled by politics students at St. Columb's It is a dramatic capitulation for a party in opposition that grew out of the activities of the trade union movement and still affirms on its website that its affiliation with leading unions is what makes [Labour] unique. X. The more he engages with people from the City, the more he feels comfortable with the vocabulary and the issues, a department head at an investment bank said. He urged those in the session to make sure that as we go into that election and hopefully the other side of that election, we are saying the right thing in the right way about what we can achieve.. Some Blairites believe Labours most electorally successful leader must be officially welcomed back into the tent to show the public how serious the party is about winning. politics . standard.co.uk - Miriam Burrell 5h. Only a minority of 2019 Conservative Party voters, 43%, back a Sunak-led Conservative government to manage the economy. The date range for opinion polls is from the 2019 United Kingdom general election, held on 12 December, to the present day. Starmer certainly is not doing so. Starmers reluctance to criticise big business or show solidarity with workers has shifted political ground in the UK even further to the right. The following polls asked about voters' opinions on Nigel Farage, leader of the Reform UK, formerly named Brexit Party, until 6 March 2021. Boris Johnson has been greedily eyeing a return. Starmer has differentiated Labour simply by eschewing the more indefensible forms of predatory capitalism the current Conservative leadership embraces. At the same time, the Governments net competency rating is up in both the Red Wall and the Blue Wall, by three points to -35% in the Red Wall and by two points to -36% in the Blue Wall, respectively. Sir Keir Starmer will deliver his conference speech today with the party in a commanding position in the polls (Picture: Metro/YouGov) Labour has hit an historic opinion poll high after a . The DUP is divided about how to respond, and enjoys the feeling of having Sunaks future in its hands. To find out more information about this research, As Sunak Heralds Protocol Deal, Majority of British Voters Remain Indifferent to Northern Ireland, Plurality of Britons Support Teachers Going on Strike, Latest Blue Wall Voting Intention (26 February 2023), Latest GB Voting Intention (26 February 2023), Britons and Americans Have Similar Views on Recent Chinese Spy Balloon Controversy, Britons Support Governments Ukraine Policy, But More Urgency on Domestic Challenges Needed, the announcement of a deal with the European Union, Sunak and Starmer Monthly Polling Report Card (February 2023), Joe Biden Administration Approval Ratings and Hypothetical Voting Intention (19 February 2023), Latest Red Wall Voting Intention (19 February 2023), Latest GB Voting Intention (18 February 2023), Peter Obi Leads Decisively in Nigeria Polling, Latest Blue Wall Voting Intention (11-12 February 2023). The party was clearly in the middle of a dramatic transformation. 27 per cent of people are satisfied with how he is performing in his job while 34 per cent are dissatisfied, for a net approval rating of -6 (accounting for rounding). Latest news, analysis and comment on elections in Europe and beyond. . Rishi Sunak is shaping up to be a prime minister Keir Starmer should be Different polling companies report widely differing figures on this question, but even Savanta ComRes, long the least favourable to Starmer, now has him two points ahead of Johnson when people are asked: Which of the following do you think would make the best prime minister? Starmer on 33 per cent and Johnson on 31 per cent are both eclipsed by dont know on 36 per cent, but politics is a game of relative advantage. The Labour leader said he is glad the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) is taking time to consider . The Leader of the Opposition leads by ten points or more on being in touch with ordinary people (39% to 20%), they understand the problems facing Britain (50% to 37%), they are an . Explore the live extension of our journalism, The wonk's survival guide to the EU Green Deal, Belarusian Nobel Peace Prize winner sentenced to 10 years in jail, Turkeys opposition splits over candidate to fight Erdoan, Germany to Switzerland: We want your tanks, Calculated evil: How Putins forces use war crimes and torture to erase Ukrainian identity, Let us film MPs as they vote, says outgoing Sky News chief, WhatsApp panic stalks Westminster after mass leak of private messages, Why always Matt? While their lead of 9% in the Blue Wall represents a slight one-point narrowing in comparison to the end of last month, the partys lead over the Conservatives has altogether grown during February by two points in the Red Wall and by six points nationally. Although his approval rating in the Blue Wall fell two points in February to now stand at +6%, his rating in both the Red Wall (+14%) and GB (+13%) are up by six and four points respectively. Jean-Claude Juncker says protocol deal better for EU than some in UK It is something Blair spoke about a lot, not having the first idea what he was doing when he got through the door. Asked if they wanted their home to remain British, Falkland Islanders said Yes by 99.8 per cent . If you do not have an account you can register here. Second, it confirmed that he may be starting to steer the Tory party towards a more moderate and pragmatic place. Keir Starmers wait-it-out approach may finally be beginning to pay dividends, two and a half years after he was elected Labour leader. The Labour Party has a 29 point poll lead over the Tories, according to a new survey which has provided a fresh boost to Sir Keir Starmer. The following polls asked about voters' opinions on Keir Starmer, leader of the Labour Party and Leader of the Opposition since April 2020. Sunak sets out Northern Ireland trade deal to MPs as Labour vow to back agreement as it happened, Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning. How the PM could block sleaze watchdog's advice on Gray hire and if Labour will ignore him, Opinion | Boris Johnsons 'jobs for Tory cronies' legacy is still alive and kicking, Tory MPs furious at Starmer hiring Sue Gray as Rees-Mogg calls her report 'left-wing stitch-up', publics view of the the Labour leader himself appears to be becoming more negative, Keir Starmer will have been hoping for a polling bounce following his big announcement on freezing energy bills, 'How bad are the pics? BOOST for Labour and Keir Starmer after the Autumn Statement - GB News Lucy Powell described partygate investigator Sue Gray - who plans to join Labour as Sir Keir Starmer's chief of staff - as "impartial" and "really good at her job". Conservative government loom big in voters' minds. Political Monitor. UK Labour leader Starmer picks 'Partygate' investigator Sue Gray as More than six in ten (61%) of Rishi Sunaks voters support the measure, as do 57% of Labour voters, suggesting this policy will land well in the country as a whole. A backlash is coming. Nicola Sturgeons departure has disarmed the Scottish separatist threat for a while, though the union remains fragile in the longer term. But a third of those 2019 Labour voters now want Sir Keir to resign as party leader after mixed results in last week's elections - including a previously unthinkable by-election defeat in the traditionally safe seat of Hartlepool. The choreography of the protocol deal was also bold. By logging in, you confirm acceptance of ourPOLITICO Privacy Policy. The 10-point gap has been roughly stable since June, with the resignation of Boris Johnson and the leadership election having no significant impact on the polls. Leadership approval ratings Rishi . In a similar vein, Starmer has strictly distanced Labour from the spate of strikes breaking out as workers struggle with escalating costs, despite earlier committing towork shoulder to shoulder with the unions to stand up for working people, tackle insecure work and low pay Oppose Tory attacks on the right to take industrial action and the weakening of workplace rights., While Starmer has agreed, when pressed, that workers have a right to strike in principle, his office has condemned strikes, like the rail unions, when they actually take place. Opinion: Keir Starmer held his nerve and has eclipsed Boris Johnson as Starmer, he said, was making catastrophic errors, creating a punch-up with our own side. His party trails Labour by, Sunak has had luck along the way. 2 March 2023. But allow some credit where it is due to Sunak. Labour leader Keir Starmer has demanded the Covid inquiry release findings by the end of the year amid fresh criticism of former Health Secretary . Starmer turned in some more relaxed performances at Prime Ministers Questions, starting to look more confident and suggesting that he had finally got the measure of Johnson. Truss is hampered by being deeply uncharismatic - possibly even more so than Starmer, and in stark contrast to her immediate predecessor, Boris Johnson. Andrew Fisher, Corbyns former director of policy, said Starmers preference for private donations may backfire. Too soon for that. The National Anthem will be sung at the start of the Labour Party conference next weekend, for the first time in recent memory (h/t @BBCBenWright), Saying Im not ideological, Starmer told BBC Breakfast over the summer: Weve reversed those 2019 manifesto positions because we needed to show the country that were credible, were responsible on the economy.. UK Muslims losing faith in Labour under Starmer, poll finds Recent polls also suggest the party has a clear double-digit lead in the 23 June byelection in Wakefield, the type of seat it will need to win back if it hopes to win a majority or form the government at the next election. He has been Member of Parliament (MP) for Holborn and St Pancras since 2015. 2021 Associated Newspapers Limited. The Labour leader has made a dirty word of socialism and shown that his own word counts for nothing. Keir Starmer has been urged to intervene in the selection process for a Labour target "red wall" seat, after a leading candidate who had the support of eight trade unions was blocked from . Starmer had begun the year in a strong position, ready for the next leg of the long march up Labours electoral mountain. Its much less normalized compared to the U.S. and there are much bigger negatives to it in the U.K. aside from the pragmatic arguments. In my dealings with Gray when I was political secretary, I found her . Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Starmer has transplanted many of Blairs favorite donor point-people into his close circle to build a powerhouse fundraising team. . Its 100-a-month business group the Rose Network has more than 500 members, up from 300 less than three years ago. Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt leaves 11 Downing Street, LondonJames Manning. He is also said to regularly chat with Starmer about the job of opposition leader and what to expect if he enters No. The Tories have remained persistently behind Labour throughout the summer and currently stand on 32 per cent of the vote with Labour on 42 per cent, according to BMG. Although his net approval fell to -22% nationally on 18 February, his lowest ever, he ends the month having gained a marginal point from his January rating in both the Red Wall and in Great Britain (up to -17% in both). The prominent involvement of Labour MP Zarah Sultana, a Corbyn supporter, suggests the depth of frustration in growing sections of the party at the direction Starmer has taken. When asked who they blamed for the crisis, voters placed equal weight on Liz Truss (21%) and the war in Ukraine (21%). But the publics view of the the Labour leader himself appears to be becoming more negative, following weeks in which he has been accused of failing to be more forceful on the cost of living. Keir Starmer is delighted she is hoping to join our preparations for government and our mission," the spokesperson said. UK Labour wants business 'fingerprints' on its plans as Blair's Does the public actually prefer Rishi Sunak or Keir Starmer? But the signs are that there will be little enthusiasm for a Labour Party led by him as a replacement. Starmer ally Powell rejects 'stitch up' claim: Sue Gray 'impartial and Its leader, Sharon Graham, has said of union funding for Labour: Im not sure were getting the best value for it.. But it remains to be seen whether the announcement of a deal with the European Union over the Northern Ireland Protocol will lead to a reversal in the Governments polling fortunes. But Starmers success - assuming it can be maintained - has come at an extraordinarily high political price. Sir Keir had started to close the gap in April, pollsters Opimium said, but in a survey held on 13 and 14 May, he garnered just 23% support as preferred prime minister. One member of Labours National Executive Committee (NEC), the partys ruling body, said Alli is a high net worth individual himself which will make quite a difference when he needs to tap people up to say Im giving money, you need to as well.'. Keir Starmer. Sir Keir Starmer's Labour Party is out of touch with public opinion, poll has found. Latest news, analysis and comment on migration in Europe and beyond. about 1 month ago . Sunak was on top of the detail. "Any opposition would be struggling against a government riding the success of the vaccine rollout and the last time the government's approval figures for the pandemic were this positive the Conservatives held a 17 point lead. The prime minister suddenly hit real unpopularity in the last month of the year. When Starmer was running for leader, many of his supporters expressed how important it was that he looked like a prime-minister-in . Explore the latest YouGov polling, survey results and articles about Keir Starmer. The Opinium figures, which will raise further concerns within Labour over the party leaders performance, shows that the prime minister has a two-point lead over his opponent. The head of the opposition has resolutely avoided offering any kind of vision for Britain, fearful it might be construed as vaguely socialist, and has even been averse to robustly challenging the ruling Tory party. After three years of near-destitution brought on by COVID-19, falling membership numbers and reduced union funding the party is now beginning to look cashed-up. But other Starmer allies dismissed the findings, claiming it was difficult to draw . Labour holds a 10-point lead over the Conservatives as Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak attack each other in public but Sir Keir Starmers personal ratings have gone backwards. Close Blair ally and media entrepreneur Waheed Alli has been appointed by Starmer as the partys head of election fundraising. The non-Corbynite majority of Labour MPs didnt have an alternative candidate either; hence their mood of gloom and fatalism. People can see Starmer as a prime minister, and a reputation for competence is a priceless asset: those two things mean that Labours forward march has resumed. The breach with Rayner was serious, and would continue to be for the rest of the year, but she was no threat to Starmers position as leader. In recent months, trade unions have threatened to make further cuts to their funding, too. For Sunak personally, his approval rating, despite some fluctuations, ends February more or less where it was at the end of January. Keir Starmers looking to the past and talking up a business role in the future in drive to fill party coffers. New polling, conducted by Ipsos between 3rd-5th February, shows the public are more likely to apply several leadership traits to Keir Starmer than Rishi Sunak.