Public opinion of Rachel Reeves plummets

Following details of Labour’s Spending Review earlier this week, Opinium’s latest poll shows that it has done little to shift public confidence in the party.

Only a fifth (19%) of voters believe they have the right priorities for the Spending Review, while over a third (36%) think they have the wrong priorities.

However, many are unsure whether the Spending Review deals with the right or wrong priorities (45%). Additionally, there is economic pessimism among the UK public, with more than half (56%) thinking the economy will get worse over the next year, and 38% thinking they will personally be worse off.

Meanwhile, even though 28% say they trust Labour most on improving public services, only 21% trust them most to spend government money efficiently, and only 19% trust them most to bring down the national debt and deficit.

However, if Conservatives Kemi Badenoch and Mel Stride were in government, the public believes they would have done a worse job (13% think they would have the right priorities, while 33% think they’d have the wrong priorities).

In terms of opinion on the leaders and main parties, Keir Starmer has seen a small improvement in his net approval rating, currently sitting at -34% (up 3 points on last fortnight when he was on -37%). However, Rachel Reeves remains on a net -37% approval which is the same as a fortnight ago.

Overall, almost two in five believe the Spending Review will have a negative impact on the following:

• The UK economy generally (37% negative vs 16% positive)
• People’s personal finances (37% negative vs 9% positive)
• Low-income households (37% negative vs 15% positive)

Fewer people expect that higher-income will be less impacted (24% think it will have a negative impact, compared to 18% who think it will have a positive impact).

Given the choice, people would prefer the government to prioritise spending on benefits to minimise child poverty over pensioner poverty (39% vs 29%). The public feels that Labour prefers to prioritise improving child poverty (29%), with just 10% thinking the party prioritises pensioner poverty. This is in contrast to the Conservatives, where 23% think the party prioritises spending to minimise pensioner poverty compared to 12% believing it prioritises child poverty.

Relatedly, with Labour reversing its decision to means test the Winter Fuel Allowance – meaning pensioners with an income under £35k will receive it – almost half (47%) feel that this is the right balance. Just under a quarter (23%) think it should go back to being available for all pensioners, while 13% think the original cut should have stayed.

James Crouch, head of policy and public affairs at Opinium, said: “This Spending Review was another major political moment where the government failed to move the dial. Rachel Reeves avoided any major missteps and delivered something that Labour voters can get behind, but it’s not enough to shift her highly negative ratings.”