This is the unforgiving assessment of the POLITICO poll. The survey was conducted by Public First after last week's local elections among over 2,000 people across the UK.
While the job of British Prime Minister hangs in the balance, only 6 percent respondents say Labor has changed the country for the better as much as they had hoped.
31 percent believe Starmer and his team have changed the country in the right way, “but not enough”, more than half – 56% — claims that Labor has either changed nothing since coming to power in 2024, or changed the country for the worse.
A similar percentage – 53 percent. — thinks Labor has no real chance of being re-elected, regardless of when the next election is held.
However, in the case of Nigel Farage's nationalist Reform UK party, the verdict is much more positive. Not only is Farage clearly more popular than Starmer, but his party is seen to have it a better chance of successfully tackling the key challenges facing the UK. 65 percent society believes that Reform UK now has a “real chance” of gaining power.
The results suggest that Farage's party has broken through the barrier and has become a much more credible political movement in the eyes of the public than it was shortly before the 2024 election.
The wind of change in Great Britain
“The Labor Party ran on a promise of 'change' but very few people now believe it has delivered on it,” says Seb Wride, head of polling at Public First. — In doing so, it has opened the door for Reform UK to now take over the “change” narrative for itself.
The poll comes as Starmer faces a concerted campaign to driving him out of Downing Streetrun by members of his own Labor Party. After months of scandal and blunders, culminating in a string of electoral defeats in Wales, Scotland and English local councils last week, Starmer's colleagues are plotting to replace him.
But the bad news for whoever ultimately becomes prime minister is that Labor's image has been seriously damaged, polls suggest.
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Only 21 percent believes that the Labor Party can emerge from the current crisis with Starmer at the helm. Almost every third person – 30 percent — believes the party won't do it unless the prime minister is replaced. Even if Labor replaced Starmer, 38 percent stated that she would still not be able to rebuild her position.
— Any new Labor leader would have to convince the public that offers something truly new Wride explains. — Most remaining Labor supporters already believe they have undertaken an impossible task in 2024. From this perspective, the situation looks even worse.
Reform UK Leader Nigel Farage, April 10, 2026Henry Nicholls / AFP
Matters important to the British people
On a number of key challenges facing the UK, Labor is currently trailing Reform UK in all areas.
When respondents in England were asked which party “would do the best job”, Reform UK beat Labor by 27%. up to 23 percent in terms of improving the cost of living, 48 percent up to 19 percent regarding the fight against illegal immigration, 34 percent up to 23 percent in terms of fighting crime and 25 percent up to 23 percent in terms of improving the economy.
Even in areas such as international relations, where Starmer has won favor, Reform UK is ahead of Labor – 28%. up to 26 percent regarding the response to the Iran crisis and 34 percent up to 25% when it comes to dealing with US President Donald Trump.
These results constitute a dramatic turnaround from two years ago.
In May 2024, two months before Labor came to power, Starmer's party was ahead of Farage's party in terms of who could better cope with the cost of living (Reform UK 8%, Labor 42%), fighting crime (Reform UK 10%, Labor 36%) and even immigration (Reform UK 16%, Labor 35%).
“Ahead of the 2024 election, Reform UK may have been dismissed as a protest party,” says Wride. — Two years later, he not only wins local elections, but also tops polls on national issues. It managed to break through as a credible right-wing party.
I’m Ashley Davis as an editor, I’m committed to upholding the highest standards of integrity and accuracy in every piece we publish. My work is driven by curiosity, a passion for truth, and a belief that journalism plays a crucial role in shaping public discourse. I strive to tell stories that not only inform but also inspire action and conversation.
