Nigel Farage is UK's 'most respectful' political leader, new poll shows
Pollsters took the mood of the nation a year after Labour took charge
Reform UK Leader Nigel Farage
(Image: Getty Images )
A third of people in Britain believe Nigel Farage is the "most respectful" politician, pollsters say. Polling of more than 7,000 people and research since the general election a year ago has shown bad news all round for Labour, with a loss of support from new and existing Labour voters.
Broken promises and policy u-turns were big reasons for a loss of support, the research found. Nigel Farage came out above Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch in questions about which leader respects people more.
Research by More in Common and UCL Policy Lab asked people about the big political parties, leaders and respect and found:
Most think little has changed since the 2024 General Election
Two thirds of Britons think Labour lacks respect for them
U-turns on winter fuel payment, welfare changes and immigration have undermined Labour's voter base
Asked to give Labour a report card, Britons give them an E
Since the General Election, the proportion of Britons who think that Keir Starmer does not respect people like them has more than doubled: 63% now say that the Prime Minister lacks respect for them. For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation, sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here
Prime Minister Keir Starmer
(Image: PA )
Article continues below
And similarly, they feel the party he leads lacks respect too. In May 2024, 40% of Britons said the Labour Party respected them, and only 34% disagreed.
Looking at Reform UK, the party led by Nigel Farage, there were high figures among those who identify as Reform voters for statements like "politicians do not respect my contribution to society" and "my values are not represented by politicians".
Britons are more likely to say that Nigel Farage - rather than Keir Starmer or Kemi Badenoch - respects people like them. While a third said Nigel Farage is the figure who is most respectful, just 24% answered the same for the Labour or Conservative leader.
Asked why they were turning away from Labour, the main reason voters gave - regardless of who they would vote for instead - is broken promises and u-turns on previous commitments.
More than a third (36%) select this as a reason. Also high on the list is failing to deliver on the cost of living (31%), and their changes to the Winter Fuel Allowance (27%).
Labour's defectors to Reform cite failures on immigration as a driving factor, while Labour's progressive defectors point to cuts to disability benefits.
The polling found Labour is losing voters. Only three in five of those who previously voted for Labour would still in a general election held tomorrow but the rest are defecting across the board - 11% to Reform, 8% to Lib Dem, 4% to the Greens and 4% to the Conservatives. A further one in ten say they don't know how they would vote.
There is further bad news looking at the people who backed Labour for the first time at the two most recent general elections.
Of the voters Labour gained between 2019 and 2024, only 43% would back them now showing a dramatic loss among first time voters but there are also serious questions about the support among previously lifelong supporters.
Article continues below
Marc Stears, Director, UCL Policy Lab, said: "What voters want to know most of all is: who does this government stand for? What kind of people does it most respect? Whose interests does it put first? A lot of the electorate thought they knew the answer to that one year ago. Now they're not so sure."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
15 minutes ago
- The Independent
‘No plans' for watch towers outside House of Lords as new security fence erected
Parliament has 'no plans' to erect watch towers at the front of the House of Lords, the authorities have said. The administration was responding to a question by a former Home Office minister about the possible installation of observation posts to provide security personnel with a 'clear view' over a new metal fence, which has recently gone up to protect the site. The long length of high metal railing has provoked controversy at Westminster with concerns it 'cuts off sightlines' to potential attackers. Scotland Yard recently denied claims made in Parliament that police felt the barrier was 'dangerous' and said it had been erected 'in full consultation' with the force, including firearms and counter-terror experts. Peers previously heard the fence was put up as part of moves to improve security along the historic estate's western boundary, separating Old Palace Yard from St Margaret Street and Abingdon Street. In a written parliamentary question, Tory frontbencher Lord Blencathra, who has previously held a series of ministerial roles including at the Home Office, had asked 'whether there are plans to erect observation towers in front of Peers' Entrance to provide security officers a clear view of St Margaret Street over the security fence'. In reply, Lords senior deputy speaker Lord Gardiner of Kimble said: 'There are no plans to erect observation towers in front of the Peers' Entrance. 'The design of the Abingdon Street fence components was undertaken to carefully balance security requirements and heritage considerations, whilst maintaining necessary lines of sight for the security personnel working in this area, including at nearby entrances.' In a separate written question, Lord Blencathra also challenged the authorities over 'the justification for the difference in style and design' between the bars installed and those surrounding the House of Commons. In response, Lord Gardiner said: 'Where possible, the newly installed fence along the west front of the Palace of Westminster has been designed to be sympathetic to the existing fences, while also meeting different and specific requirements. 'The primary driver of the difference is that the fence along the west front has been designed to be completely removeable to accommodate the variety of access needs to Old Palace Yard.' He added: 'This meant it was not possible to match exactly the fence at Cromwell Green.' Meanwhile, Conservative former Cabinet minister Lord Forsyth of Drumlean has pressed the parliamentary authorities over 'the cost per metre of the security fence' and the total cost of the project. In rejecting his request, Lord Gardiner said: 'In publishing the costs of a security asset, an adversary would be provided with information about the level of and efficacy of the mitigation we have in place. 'For these reasons, the costs of the newly installed Abingdon Street fence are not in the public domain. 'The fence is not 'off the shelf' and incorporates security measures specifically designed to keep out a wide range of hostile actors.' But, he added: 'In order to balance transparency with security, the House of Lords Finance Committee will undertake an enhanced programme of scrutiny of both costs and performance of security works, on a quarterly basis.' Lord Forsyth has previously complained of being stonewalled about the bill for a new front door to the Lords on security grounds, which was subsequently revealed to have cost nearly £10 million – far in excess of the original estimate – and also not work. A former public spending watchdog has been asked to investigate the Peers' Entrance project which has been branded 'a scandalous waste of public money'.
Western Telegraph
17 minutes ago
- Western Telegraph
UK will take more measures against Israel if no Gaza ceasefire soon
Speaking at the Commons Foreign Affairs Committee on Tuesday, the Foreign Secretary admitted the impact of Government measures taken against Israel after a joint statement from the UK, France and Germany, was 'not sufficient'. The statement, released in May by the Prime Minister, French President Emmanuel Macron and Canadian premier Mark Carney, condemned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's 'egregious' actions in Gaza and called for a halt to its military offensive and an end to restrictions on humanitarian aid. The Foreign Secretary was asked by committee member Labour MP Alex Ballinger: 'If we do not get the ceasefire we're all praying for in the coming weeks…' 'No, we have to get the ceasefire,' Mr Lammy interjected. 'But if that is not the case and we see the abomination that you've described and the intolerable continuation of the situation in Gaza, will the Government go further to take measures against Israel?' Mr Ballinger asked. 'Yes, yes we will,' the Foreign Secretary replied. Mr Lammy defended the UK Government's actions against Israel, citing the suspension of arms sales to the country and sanctions against Israeli ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich. He also highlighted the UK's support for the Palestinian Authority and the signing of a memorandum of understanding with its prime minister Mohammad Mustafa. 'I am very, very comfortable that you would be hard pressed to find another G7 partner that's doing more than this country has done,' he added. Mr Lammy told the meeting Britain would oppose plans reportedly set out by by Israel's defence minister Israel Katz to move Palestinians in Gaza into a camp on the ruins of the city of Rafah. Smoke rises to the sky following an Israeli bombardment in the Gaza Strip, as seen from southern Israel (Leo Correa/AP) Labour MP Uma Kumaran said of the reported plan: 'They're calling it a so-called humanitarian transit area but there's no schools there, there's no medical provisions there, there are no other facilities, and there are plans for forced screening. 'Katz wants international partners to be involved in that. Will Britain oppose this and can you guarantee us in this committee that no British companies or NGOs will be involved in those plans?' Mr Lammy said: 'We've been very clear that we don't support the aid foundation that has been set up, it's not doing a good job, too many people are close to starvation, too many people have lost their lives.' He added that his understanding was that there had been better conversations between the UN agency system and Israel over the last few days, saying: 'So I'm surprised at the statements that I've seen from Mr Katz over the last 24 hours. 'And as I've indicated, they run contra to the proximity to a ceasefire that I thought we were heading towards, so I wonder if there's some politicking going on for those within the government that for some reason stand opposed to this.' Pressed on whether Britain would be opposing any such plans, he said: 'Yes.' At the meeting, Mr Lammy suggested Britain, France and Germany could snap back sanctions on Iran unless the country gets 'serious' about stepping back from its nuclear ambitions. The Foreign Secretary said: 'Iran faces even more pressure in the coming weeks because the E3 can snap back on our sanctions, and it's not just our sanctions, it's actually a UN mechanism that would impose dramatic sanctions on Iran across nearly every single front in its economy. 'So they have a choice to make. It's a choice for them to make. 'I'm very clear about the choice they should make, but I'm also clear that the UK has a decision to make that could lead to far greater pain for the Iranian regime unless they get serious about the international desire to see them step back from their nuclear ambitions at this time.'
The National
22 minutes ago
- The National
British Museum to loan Lewis Chessmen to France for Bayeux Tapestry
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French president Emmanuel Macron are expected to announce that the tapestry will arrive in the UK at the British Museum next year on loan from France. THE British Museum will loan the Lewis Chessman to France in exchange for the Bayeux Tapestry, set to return to England for the first time in more than 900 years. In return, the British Museum will loan the Sutton Hoo collection, the Lewis Chessmen and other items to France. READ MORE: Ex-Irish taoiseach says he's 'never been so glad' Ireland out of Nato The tapestry depicts the 1066 Norman invasion and Battle Of Hastings, which saw William The Conqueror take the English throne from Harold Godwinson and become the first Norman king of England. The 70-metre-long work, which is more than 900-years-old, has been on display in various locations across France during its history, including most recently at the Bayeux Museum in Normandy. It is widely accepted to have been made in England during the 11th century and was likely to have been commissioned by Bishop Odo Of Bayeux. The Chessmen – a famous hoard of 93 objects – were discovered in 1831 on the Isle of Lewis. Eleven are in the National Museums Scotland (NMS) collection while the remaining 82 are in the British Museum's collection, six of which are on loan to Museum nan Eilean in Lewis. Director of the British Museum, Nicholas Cullinan, said: 'The Bayeux Tapestry is one of the most important and unique cultural artefacts in the world, which illustrates the deep ties between Britain and France and has fascinated people across geographies and generations. 'It is hard to overstate the significance of this extraordinary opportunity of displaying it at the British Museum and we are profoundly grateful to everyone involved. 'This will be the first time the Bayeux Tapestry has been in the UK since it was made, almost 1000-years-ago. 'We are also delighted to send the Lewis Chessmen, and some of our treasures from Sutton Hoo – the greatest archaeological discovery in Britain – to France in return. 'This is exactly the kind of international partnership that I want us to champion and take part in, sharing the best of our collection as widely as possible, and in return displaying global treasures never seen here before.' READ MORE: MP's 'we are Palestine Action' comment edited out of official Westminster records The Sutton Hoo treasures, discovered as part of a seventh century Anglo-Saxon ship burial in Suffolk in 1939, provide insight into England during the period before the Norman Conquest. Museums in Normandy will host the Sutton Hoo treasures while they are in France. Further details of the exhibition will be announced by the British Museum in due course, with the loan set to form part of a season of culture in 2027 celebrating the 1000th anniversary of the birth of William The Conqueror, and the Grand Depart of the 2027 Tour de France from the UK. The tapestry will be displayed in the Sainsbury Exhibitions Gallery of the British Museum between September 2026 and July 2027.
