With the Autumn Budget fast approaching, a majority of the UK public believe the Labour Prime Minister and Chancellor should both step down, as trust in the party on economic matters sinks, according to the latest polling from Opinium.
Over half (56%) think Keir Starmer should resign, compared to 26% who want him to stay, with 19% undecided.
Even among 2024 Labour voters, a third (33%) want him to resign, while slightly over a half (52%) think he should remain in office.
A similar proportion (57%) think Rachel Reeves should resign, while only 19% want her to stay in post, and 24% don’t know.
Among 2024 Labour voters, only two in five (42%) support her remaining in office, with over a third (38%) saying she should resign.
The picture is only slightly rosier for Tory leader, Kemi Badenoch, whom a little over a third (34%) of the public want to remain as Conservative leader, while 28% want her to resign, and two in five (38%) have no opinion.
Starmer (-41%) and Reeves (-48%) are the least trusted politicians on economic and financial matters. However, the public expressed distrust in all major UK politicians to varying degrees, including Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch (-19%) and Shadow Chancellor, Mel Stride (-18%).
Even among 2024 Labour voters, trust in Reeves on the economy is low, with 40% saying they trust her on financial matters, compared to 48% who do not.
Ahead of the upcoming budget, a majority (58%) of the public expect Labour’s decisions on spending and taxation to be unfair, with only 14% saying they will be fair.
Over three quarters (77%) of the UK public expect taxes to rise, despite Labour ruling out a range of major tax increases in its 2024 manifesto. Six in ten (61%) believe it would be the wrong decision for Reeves to raise income tax, VAT, or national insurance on this basis, with only 19% saying it would be the right course.
The polling also highlights public scepticism about Labour’s honesty and policy decisions. Fewer than a quarter (22%) of people believe Keir Starmer and Labour were open and honest about the challenges facing the UK before the 2024 election, compared with six in ten (61%) who say they were not.
Half (50%) of people suspect Reeves intended to raise taxes all along, while only 20% think the decision reflects worsening economic circumstances since the election.
Rachel Reeves’ approval rating has fallen by 9 points to net -47% among the public, and she has sunk to net -17% among Labour voters. Keir Starmer’s approval rating remains unchanged at net -45%, as does Kemi Badenoch’s rating at net -17%, while Nigel Farage’s approval rating has risen slightly to -10% (+4). Nigel Farage maintains a slight lead of +3% over Keir Starmer, in terms of who would be the best Prime Minister.
Reform’s lead among the public has risen to 33% (+3), followed by Labour who are unchanged on 20%, and the Tories at 17% (-1). The Lib Dems remain on 12% and the Greens on 11% (-1).
James Crouch, head of policy and public affairs at Opinium, said: “As The Celebrity Traitors comes to an end, the public think it was in fact the Labour Party that were far from open and honest about their intentions at the last election. With big tax rises on the agenda, voters are getting ready to say, ‘parting is such sweet sorrow, Rachel.’”
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