A Year In: The Public Now Know Who Starmer is but Farage Capitalises on Dissatisfaction

One year into Labour’s government, Keir Starmer, Rachel Reeves and Angela Rayner are now widely known figures on the national stage, yet public opinion is increasingly split. Meanwhile, Nigel Farage continues to build insurgent momentum, drawing strength from dissatisfaction with Labour’s record in office so far. The public’s familiarity with Labour’s key cabinet figures is in the 60% range and Yvette Cooper remains relatively anonymous, raising strategic questions about Labour’s ability to connect its policies to its personnel.

Keir Starmer: High Recognition, Mixed Reviews

Keir Starmer has become one of the most recognisable Prime Ministers in modern British history as 84% of the public now say they are familiar with him, including 41% who are “very familiar”. This high visibility cuts across all age groups and political affiliations, with the strongest familiarity among older voters and those who supported either Labour or the Conservatives in 2024.

Yet Starmer’s approval ratings tell a more complicated story. Just 29% of voters approve of his performance as Prime Minister, no change since May, however 49% now disapprove, a 2% increase since May. Alarmingly for Labour, 32% “strongly disapprove”, also up 2% since May, suggesting deepening frustration.

His personal favourability ratings mirror this trend. Only 28% of respondents say they view him favourably, while 48% are unfavourable, including 31% who are “very unfavourable”. Unsurprisingly, he retains core support among Labour voters with 54% viewing him favourably and 43% of 25-34 year olds are favourable towards him. But Starmer struggles the most with 55-64 year olds (18% favourability) and Reform voters (9%).

This erosion of support may be linked to Labour’s first year in government, where the economic recovery has been slower than expected. Despite achieving a modest 0.5% rise in GDP per capita, growth has not been felt evenly and rising employer costs tied to minimum wage hikes and National Insurance changes have hit sectors like retail and hospitality. Meanwhile, despite being elected on a platform for change, the government’s cautious foreign policy and welfare U-turns such as the attempted removal of the Winter Fuel Payment have contributed to the perception that Starmer’s leadership is more technocratic than transformational.

Angela Rayner: Visibility Up, Polarisation Rises

Angela Rayner has significantly boosted her national profile since becoming Deputy Prime Minister. 65% of the public now say they are familiar with her, with 25% describing themselves as “very familiar”. But with this increase in visibility has come a rise in polarisation.

Rayner’s favourability matches Starmer’s, as 28% of respondents view her favourably, while 38% now view her unfavourably, including a sharp 25% who are “very unfavourable”. Her net favourability remains in negative territory and particularly weak among Conservative and Reform voters. Still, she retains strong backing from within her party: 51% of Labour voters view her favourably, with just 16% unfavourable.

Much like Starmer, Rayner’s role has placed her at the heart of difficult policy areas, especially in social care and welfare. The government’s early enthusiasm for reforming Personal Independence Payments and tightening Universal Credit rules has been met with backlash and a costly retreat. Rayner’s status as one of the key leaders in the Labour Party has grown but so too has the political weight she now carries in the eyes of both supporters and critics.

Yvette Cooper and Rachel Reeves

Despite holding two of the most powerful briefs in British politics, Home Secretary and Chancellor, Yvette Cooper and Rachel Reeves still face a striking familiarity gap among the public, particularly considering the scale and prominence of their respective roles.

Reeves, responsible for steering Labour’s economic strategy, has carved out a stronger public presence than most of her cabinet colleagues. With 69% of voters saying they are familiar with her, she ranks among the more recognisable ministers in the government, unsurprising, given that the economy consistently tops the list of voter concerns. Her regular appearances in the media and central role in shaping policies such as VAT on private school fees and targeted business tax reforms have kept her in the public eye. Yet familiarity has not translated into enthusiasm: her favourability stands at just 27%, while her unfavourability is a staggering 44%, closely tailing Starmer’s 49%

Cooper, by contrast, remains a quieter presence despite presiding over the high-profile and politically volatile issue of immigration. Just 53% of voters say they are familiar with her, a lower figure than Reeves and notable for someone tasked with managing small boat crossings, organised smuggling gangs and public safety. Her favourability and unfavourability are evenly matched at 28%, while 13% of voters say they don’t know what to think of her at all.

This low-definition presence is significant. Although net migration has fallen under Labour, Labour’s promise to “smash the gangs” has so far produced limited visible results. For many, it remains unclear whether Cooper is leading a meaningful shift or simply presiding over more of the same.

Nigel Farage: Rising Recognition, Strong Base

In contrast to Labour’s quieter senior figures, Nigel Farage is a dominant and familiar presence with 80% of voters now recognising him, including 40% who say they are “very familiar”. With growing appearances on mainstream TV including “I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!”, his notoriety is virtually unmatched and unlike Starmer or Rayner, his familiarity is accompanied by a solid and growing base of support.

Currently, 44% of voters approve of Farage’s leadership of Reform UK, up from 40% in May. His personal favourability is now 35%, with 36% unfavourable, a more favourable balance than any Labour frontbencher. 88% of Reform UK voters view him positively and crucially, his appeal among 2024 Conservative voters remains high (50%).

Farage’s rise is occurring against the backdrop of a Labour government struggling to show results. On immigration, the public remains sceptical. On the economy, growth is slow and jobs are being lost in key sectors. On welfare, promised reforms have faltered. Farage has tapped into each of these frustrations, offering a populist message that, for many, resonates more clearly than Labour’s carefully calibrated language. Still, polarisation remains. 22% of voters say they hold a “very unfavourable” view of Farage, though this is down 1% since May.

A notable 20% of voters say they neither approve nor disapprove of Farage, highlighting a large pool of persuadable voters who have not yet made up their minds about his longer-term political role.

Download the data tables for this poll.