Only 17% Britons say they would vote for Starmer if polls held today

Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s Labour Party has slumped to its lowest support level on record, according to a new YouGov poll that highlights the growing risks facing his government from both the right and the left, according to a report by Bloomberg.

The poll published on Tuesday  found that only 17% of Britons would vote for Labour if a general election were held today, the party’s weakest showing since YouGov began tracking data in 2001.

In a dramatic shift, Nigel Farage’s right-wing Reform UK now leads with 27%, while the Green Party has surged to a record 16%, its highest-ever rating. The Conservatives are level with Labour on 17%, and the Liberal Democrats follow closely at 15%, highlighting how the UK’s political landscape has fractured into a five-way contest.

The data signals mounting trouble for Starmer, whose government faces increasing pressure ahead of local elections in May, contests some Labour insiders describe as potentially “existential” for his leadership.

Since Reform dominated local elections earlier this year, Starmer has attempted to counter its populist appeal with tougher rhetoric on migration. However, the latest surge from the Greens led by Zack Polanski who has positioned himself as the left’s populist counterweight to Farage with a strong message on taxing the wealthy and a savvy social media campaign  suggests Labour is now bleeding support from both flanks.

Adding to Starmer’s woes, Labour suffered a heavy by-election defeat last week in Wales, a region long considered a party stronghold. The party lost the Caerphilly seat in the Welsh parliament to the centre-left nationalist Plaid Cymru, finishing a distant third behind Reform UK.

Though the next general election is not due until 2029, the poll and recent setbacks underline a stark warning for Starmer: his electoral coalition is eroding rapidly with voter disillusionment spreading across the political spectrum.

With inputs from agencies