Labour members divided over performance of Starmer as Prime Minister

More than four-fifths of Labour members think Keir Starmer was right to stand down as Prime Minister, but are divided on how well he governed, a new poll for LabourList reveals.

The poll, conducted by Survation, found that 82 percent of members thought Starmer made the right decision in standing down as party leader and Prime Minister, with only 13 percent believing he should not have done so.

Starmer’s resignation came after more than 100 Labour MPs called on him to set out a timetable for his departure from Downing Street following dismal local and devolved election results and criticism of his handling of the Mandelson scandal.

Reflecting on his time in office, Labour members are more split – with just over half (53 percent) believing he governed well during his stint in Number 10, with 47 percent believing he fared badly as Prime Minister.

When asked what Keir Starmer’s greatest achievement was as party leader and Prime Minister, one in five members (22 percent) said the Employment Rights Act was the pinnacle of his success, while 17 percent said reforming the Labour Party into an electable force again was his peak accomplishment.

Starmer’s approval among the party membership has risen since his resignation, jumping from -2 in April to +16 in our latest poll.

However, there remains a split in regional support for the former Prime Minister, with a difference in view along how members voted in the deputy leadership contest.

Members in the East of England had the highest approval for Starmer at +31, compared to members in the North East who had the lowest at -6.

Approval for Starmer was very high among members who backed Bridget Phillipson for deputy leader, at +71 – a stark contrast to those who backed Lucy Powell at -3.

Become a friend of LabourList and join our community. Our friends support our vital non-factional work and get access to exclusive content and events. 

Emma Burnell, editor of LabourList, said: “Labour members have a balanced view of Starmer and his time in office and as leader of the Labour Party. There is a real sense of gratitude that sits alongside a broad recognition that his stepping down was the right thing for the Party and the country.

“In fact, in this bounce in approval ratings we may well be seeing that combination of gratitude for both his leadership and the dignified nature of his departure.”

Damian Lyons Lowe, chief executive of Survation, which conducted the poll, said: “Labour
members have reached a clear verdict on Keir Starmer’s departure and a much softer one on
his record than they held while he was in office. 82 percent say he was right to step down. But asked how well he governed, 53 percent now say well and 47 percent badly — and the same question returned 42/57 in February and 41/59 in April. His record improved by more than 20 points at the moment he stopped being Prime Minister.

“His own favourability has moved the same way, from −2 in April to +16. The recovery is
uneven, though. Among Phillipson’s deputy leadership backers he is on +71, which is not a new
high so much as a return to the +66 they gave him in February before dipping to +40 in the spring. Among Powell’s backers, he has gone from −26 to −3: they have stopped being hostile,
rather than warmed to him.

“What that describes is most likely gratitude for the manner of the exit rather than a reappraisal
of the substance.”

Survation, a member of the British Polling Council and a Market Research Society Partner, surveyed 812 readers of LabourList who also said they were Labour Party members between July 24 and 27.

Data was weighted to the profile of party members by age, sex, region, 2020 leadership vote and 2025 deputy leadership vote. Targets for weighting were drawn from the British Election Study and the results of the leadership and deputy leadership elections.

Subscribe here to our daily newsletter roundup of Labour news, analysis and comment– and follow us on TikTok, Bluesky, WhatsApp, X and Facebook. You can also write to our editor to share your thoughts on our stories and share your own. The best letters are published every Sunday.

• • SHARE: If you have anything to share that we should be looking into or publishing about this story – or any other topic involving Labour– contact us (strictly anonymously if you wish) at [email protected].
  • SUBSCRIBE: Sign up to LabourList’s morning email here for the best briefing on everything Labour, every weekday morning.
  • BECOME A FRIEND: If you enjoyed this, why not consider becoming a Friend of LabourList? Help sustain our journalism, and of course Friends do get benefits…
  • PARTNER: If you or your organisation might be interested in partnering with us on sponsored events or projects, email [email protected].
  • ADVERTISE: If your organisation would like to advertise or run sponsored pieces on LabourList‘s daily newsletter or website, contact our exclusive ad partners Total Politics at [email protected].