Keir Starmer's personal approval rating has dropped below that of Rishi Sunak for the first time since the election, according to a new Opinium poll for the Observer. The prime minister's net approval stands at -26%, with 24% approving and 50% disapproving, while Sunak's net rating is -25%.
The poll reveals a 45-point drop in Starmer's approval since July, when Labour won the election. Chancellor Rachel Reeves has also seen a 36-point decline in her net approval, amid controversy over cuts to winter fuel payments for all but the poorest pensioners and warnings of tough decisions on welfare and tax in the upcoming budget.
Labour's lead on the economy has narrowed to just one point, down from a 10-point lead in July. Only 27% of voters think the government has been successful so far, while 57% say it has not. Even a third of Labour voters believe the government has not been successful in its first two months.
James Crouch, head of policy and public affairs at Opinium, said: 'While the prime minister might have a world-beating new wardrobe, voters are refusing to wear his government's austerity drive. Not only do the public feel worse off than they did before the election, but concerns that Labour has focused too much on government finances rather than growth have almost wiped out their lead on the economy.'
