- 50% think Starmer should stand down. 36% think he should proceed. Sentiment unchanged since autumn.
- Two thirds (68%) of Britons think it’s unlikely Keir Starmer will win the subsequent General Election.
- If Starmer was to stand down Andy Burnham is the general public’s most popular alternative as Labour chief. But majority don’t have any desire or don’t know.
New information from Ipsos within the UK’s Political Pulse survey, taken 17-21 April 2026 reveals half (50%) of Britons think Keir Starmer should stand down as Prime Minister.
Labour management
- 50percentp.c of Britons think Keir Starmer should stand down as Prime Minister and Leader of the Labour Party (-2 share factors from February 2026). Over a 3rd (36%) think Starmer should proceed (-1 from Feb 26).
- 68% of Britons think it’s unlikely Keir Starmer will win the subsequent General Election (+5 from Jun ’25).
- However Britons are unsure of what would occur to Labour if Starmer was not chief. 36% of Britons think Labour could be extra prone to win the subsequent General Election with another person as chief as Prime Minister (-1 from Feb ‘26), while 37% think it would make no difference (-2 from Feb ‘26). 12% think Labour are more likely to win the next election with Starmer as leader and Prime Minister.
Burnham the preferred alternative
- If Starmer was no longer Labour leader, Andy Burnham leads as the public’s most popular option to be chief (17%). Burnham additionally leads amongst 2024 Labour voters (25%). However a sizeable proportion of the general public say both none of them (28%) or don’t know (27%).
- 5% of Britons would like Angela Rayner to be the subsequent chief of the Labour social gathering (10% amongst 2024 Labour voters), adopted by Wes Streeting on 4%.
Politician favourability scores
- Three in ten (30%) are beneficial in direction of Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham, with 24% unfavourable (internet +6).
- 19% are beneficial in direction of Keir Starmer, with 59% unfavourable (internet -40).
- 18% are beneficial in direction of Angela Rayner, 49% unfavourable (-31). Britons additionally oppose the concept of Rayner returning to authorities – 18% assist this, 43% oppose.
- 17% are beneficial in direction of Health Secretary Wes Streeting, with 39% unfavourable (internet -22).
- 17% are beneficial in direction of Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero Ed Milliband, with 47% unfavourable (internet -30).
- 16% are beneficial in direction of Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper, with 40% unfavourable (internet -24).
- 12% are beneficial in direction of Chancellor Rachel Reeves, with 57% unfavourable (internet -45).
Other events and their leaders
Although Britons don’t think Keir Starmer will win the subsequent election, Britons have doubts about every other social gathering leaders ever being Prime Minister:
- Nigel Farage: Britons are much less prone to think Farage will ever be Prime Minister sooner or later in comparison with September 2025. 40% think it’s doubtless Farage might be Prime Minister sooner or later (-9 from Sept ’25), 43% think it’s unlikely (+9). However, they’re extra prone to think he might be than others.
- Kemi Badenoch: 25% think it’s doubtless Badenoch might be Prime Minister sooner or later (+3), 56% think it’s unlikely (-7).
- Zack Polanski: 15% think it’s doubtless Polanski might be Prime Minister sooner or later, 69% think it’s unlikely.
- Ed Davey: 13% think it’s doubtless Davey might be Prime Minister sooner or later (-1 from Sept ’25), 71% think it’s unlikely (No change).
Party leaders’ favourability scores:
- Nigel Farage has a internet favourability of -27, up from -29 final month. 27% of Britons view him favourably (+2) and 54% unfavourably (N/C)
- 24% of Britons are beneficial in direction of Kemi Badenoch (+2 from Mar ’26), 42% unfavourable (-2), giving her a internet rating of -18 (+4 from Mar ’26).
- 21% maintain a beneficial view of Liberal Democrat chief Ed Davey (N/C), whereas 34% are unfavourable (-1 from Mar ’26), giving him a internet rating of -13 (+1 from Mar ‘26).
- 24% of Britons are favourable towards Green party leader Zack Polanski (+1 from Mar ’26), 41% unfavourable (+4 from Mar ’26), giving him a internet rating of -17 (was 14 in Mar ’26).
Labour vs Reform
Despite hypothesis concerning the Labour management, if given the selection between simply the Labour social gathering led by Keir Starmer and Reform UK led by Nigel Farage, Britons would like Labour to win the subsequent UK General Election. Four in ten (40%) Britons choose Labour, whereas three in ten (31%) choose Reform. This provides Labour a lead of +9 (+1 from Mar ’26).
Party favourability:
- Two in ten (20%) are beneficial in direction of the Labour social gathering (+1 from Mar ’26), with 55% unfavourable (-1), giving them a internet rating of -35, (+1 from final month). 51% additionally think Labour are doing a foul job at operating the nation, 16% think they’re doing a superb job.
- Reform UK has a internet ranking of -23, up from -28 final month. 27% have a beneficial opinion (+2), 50% unfavourable (-3).
- 22% categorical a beneficial view of the Conservative social gathering, with virtually half (49%) unfavourable (internet -27, up from -32 final month).
- The Green Party’s internet ranking is -12 (N/C final month. 28% are beneficial in direction of the social gathering, whereas 40% are unfavourable.
- The Liberal Democrats are at -15. 22% categorical a beneficial view and 37% unfavourable.
- 19% are beneficial in direction of Your Party, whereas 33% are unfavourable (internet -14).
- 19% are beneficial in direction of Restore Britain, whereas 38% are unfavourable (internet -19)
State of the nation:
- Two thirds of Britons think the nation is heading within the flawed route (67%) whereas 14% think it’s not off course. This provides a internet proper route rating of -53 (n/c from Mar ’26).
- As the tenth anniversary of the EU Referendum approaches, 52% of Britons think the UK’s resolution to go away the European Union has had a unfavourable influence on the nation. 19% think it has had a constructive influence, 21% think it has made no distinction.
- 51% think Labour are doing a foul job at operating the nation, 16% think they’re doing a superb job.
- The key points for the general public in deciding tips on how to vote on the subsequent normal election are healthcare (61%), inflation/ the fee of residing (56%) and immigration (50%).
Ipsos Director of Politics Keiran Pedley mentioned of the findings:
As hypothesis mounts about Keir Starmer’s future, the best way ahead for Labour is unclear. 6 in 10 are unfavourable in direction of him and half think he should stand down. However, sentiment hasn’t actually moved because the autumn and it isn’t apparent who would substitute him. Andy Burnham is the standout various in phrases of public opinion however he isn’t in parliament. So if there was an instantaneous contest, there isn’t any robust public sense about who should substitute him.
Technical Note:
- Ipsos interviewed a consultant pattern of 2,262 adults aged 18+ throughout Great Britain. Interviews had been carried out on-line between the seventeenth – twenty first April 2026.
- Data are weighted to match the profile of the inhabitants. All polls are topic to a variety of potential sources of error.
