Labour’s Popularity Wobble: Is the Honeymoon Over for Starmer?

Lib Dems on the Rise: Targeting the Tory Heartlands

Still fresh off the back of July’s general election, party strategists from the Liberal Democrat’s believe the Conservatives’ recent tack to the right may leave the political centre ground wide open. The Lib Dems’, currently celebrating their best electoral result in over a century with 72 seats - an extraordinary leap from the mere 11 they held in 2019 - are still not satisfied. With momentum on their side, senior party officials at this week’s annual conference in Brighton are setting their sites on at least 20 more seats, aiming to push into the “Blue Wall” - the Conservative stronghold in the South and Midlands.

Ed Davey, riding on jet-skis and rollercoasters high on the Lib Dems’ success, has made it clear that his party’s ambitions are far from capped. He’s reflected on the trust placed on his party by millions of votes since July, arguing that Rishi Sunak’s Conservatives aren’t just “unfit to govern”, but also “unfit for opposition”.

With the Tories moving further right and the Lib Dems eager to claim the political centre, the battle lines for Britain’s future governance are being drawn up. Could the Lib Dems take their seat at the table in a way no one expected? Watch this space.

Labour’s Popularity Wobble: Is the Honeymoon Over for Starmer?

Labour and Keir Starmer have been on the receiving end of a sharp dip in popularity since the election, with some polls showing a significant fall. After a challenging summer for the party, it seems Starmer’s honeymoon period was never going to involved sipping strawberry daiquiris’s on the English Riviera or thrilling rides in Brighton (sorry, Sir Davey). Just under two months ago, Labour secured a landslide victory, but few of those “tough choices” they’ve made (their words, not ours) have clearly not landed well with voters.

While Labour is still far more popular than the Conservatives, it’s clear the gloss is wearing off. Data from Ipsos shows Starmer’s favourability has dropped by 14% since becoming Prime Minister, while Chancellor Rachel Reeves has seen a more significant slide, with a 21% dip in her approval. Tough decisions often mean ruffled feathers, and it seems Labour is having to learn that the hard way.

But let’s not write the obituaries just yet. It’s not all doom and gloom for Labour. The Conservatives, while showing slight improvements in approval since their forgetful day in July, are still struggling to regain any real momentum. In fact, Starmer still boasts a higher net favourability than any of the remaining candidates in the Conservative leadership contest. And let’s not forget, we’re only two months into the political cycle, so even with the challenges, Labour has time on its side.

For now, Labour can probably just about still blame some of its less popular decisions on the inefficiencies of the previous Tory government - a playbook that may work for a little longer. But let’s be real, they can’t keep pointing fingers forever. British politics may not be sunshine and rainbows, but it’s certainly never dull!