Labour Party members are wholly dissatisfied with the current leadership, a new survey from Survation shows.
Keir Starmer’s Labour: even tanking with its own members
Survation’s latest poll, conducted in partnership with LabourList immediately after Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ Spring Statement, reveals a significant downturn in the morale and confidence of Labour Party members. The findings indicate sharp declines in favourability towards key cabinet members, widespread dissatisfaction with recent policy directions, and growing concerns about the party’s electoral prospects.
The Spring Statement has precipitated a dramatic drop in the favourability of Labour’s top figures.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves’s net favourability has plummeted by 30 points to -41%, with 70% of Labour members now viewing her unfavourably. Then, Starmer has experienced a 26-point decline, bringing his net favourability to -13%, marking his entry into negative territory. And cabinet members overall have seen an average decline of 13 points in net favourability, with all cabinet members experiencing systematic drops in support among party members.
The poll highlights a deepening crisis of confidence regarding the party’s trajectory. 68% of Labour members now believe the party is heading in the wrong direction, a significant increase from 49% just two weeks prior. Only 24% feel the party is on the right track, underscoring broad-based discontent within the membership.
Two primary factors contribute to this growing dissatisfaction. Firstly, 82% of members feel the party is failing to communicate effectively with the public, up 9 points since the last poll. This suggests a perception that the party is increasingly out of touch with voter sentiments.
Then, a significant portion of the membership disapproves of recent policy decisions:
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Spring Statement Reception: 64% said it was worse than expected, with only 30% finding it better than anticipated.
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Overall Package Rating: 52% rated the Spring Statement negatively.
Specific policies, such as proposed changes to DWP PIP, the freeze in health-related Universal Credit payments, and the reallocation of spending towards defence at the expense of overseas aid and departmental budgets, have intensified anxieties about the party’s direction.
Spring Statement: compounding the chaos
The Spring Statement failed to build a positive policy narrative that resonated with members:
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Crackdown on tax evasion: The most popular proposal, backed by only 37% of members.
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Increased capital spending: Received modest approval at 19%.
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Guaranteed personalised employment support: Supported by a mere 11%.
These figures indicate that the broader dissatisfaction overshadows any isolated policy endorsements.
Labour members are increasingly concerned about the rise of Reform UK. A significant portion of the membership fears that the current policy direction may drive voters towards Reform UK, jeopardizing Labour’s standing in upcoming elections.
The findings from Survation’s poll paint a troubling picture for the Labour Party under its current leadership. The sharp declines in favourability, coupled with widespread dissatisfaction over policy decisions and communication strategies, suggest a party at odds with its base.
The leadership’s apparent disregard for member sentiments and the potential ramifications of their policy choices highlight a critical disconnect that could have lasting consequences for the party’s future.
Featured image via the Canary
