Farage Outperforms Starmer Across Key Leadership Traits

While Keir Starmer leads Labour in government, our poll results reveal that Nigel Farage outperforms him in 13 out of 21 key leadership characteristics. Farage’s strengths lie in perceptions of strength, decisiveness and public trust, while Starmer struggles to assert himself as the dominant leader in the public eye. Notably, the Labour leader only surpasses Farage in four key categories and in some areas, 25% of current Labour supporters show favourability towards the Reform UK leader.

Farage: Steering Change and Bringing People Together

Farage is overwhelmingly viewed as the candidate who best represents change, with 42% of respondents seeing him as a force for transformation compared to 29% for Starmer. This is unsurprising given his deliberate positioning as a political outsider, offering an alternative for voters feeling disillusioned with mainstream politics.

He is also seen as the stronger candidate for connecting with people, when it comes to bringing the British people together, although 34% of voters answered “don’t know” on this question, Farage still narrowly beats Starmer (34% to 32%). The majority also believe that Farage cares more for ordinary people than Starmer (37% to 29%).

The public also believe Farage would work better with foreign leaders, here he scores 37% to Starmer’s 35%, boosted by his close engagement with the Trump administration.

Farage: The Stronger Leader

Strength and decisiveness are where Farage dominates. He is seen as the stronger leader, with 41% of voters rating him highly in this area, compared to just 29% for Starmer. This aligns with his advantage in bold decision-making (42% to 30%), being unafraid to be unpopular (44% to 30%) and his reputation for being willing to debate opponents (44% to 30%).

Farage’s branding as a leader unafraid to take on controversial issues is reinforced in policy-related areas. He is considered far better equipped to fix immigration (41% to 27%) and stands up for the UK (41% to 32%), tapping into voter concerns about national sovereignty and border control. Additionally, 40% of voters believe he understands the country’s key problems, compared to 32% for Starmer, suggesting that he resonates with those who feel left behind by mainstream politics.

Economic credibility remains a weak point for both leaders but Farage still manages to edge out Starmer in building a strong economy (34% to 31%) and getting things done (37% to 29%).

Starmer’s Strengths

Despite Farage’s commanding lead in many leadership areas, Starmer outperforms him in three notable categories:

• Fixing healthcare (33% to 28%). This comes as no surprise given Labour’s long-term association with the NHS.
• Law and order(34% to 33%). An interesting result given Farage’s perception as the stronger leader, likely due to Starmer’s previous role as the Director of Public Prosecutions.
• Prioritising the environment (37% to 25%).

Starmer also has an advantage in being seen as mentally and physically fit for office (33% to 32%), though the gap is slim.

Farage’s Appeal Among Labour Voters

Perhaps most striking is Farage’s unexpected level of support among Labour voters. While Starmer does outperform him across all categories within his own party, the results are far from dominant. In key areas such as strength, decision-making, representing change and fixing immigration, Farage earns high scores among 25% of current Labour voters. This suggests a potential vulnerability for Labour, particularly in working-class and Red Wall constituencies, where Farage has historically found support.

The significant number of undecided voters, often over 30% in many categories, suggests that while Starmer remains Labour’s leader, he has yet to cement his dominance in the public’s perception. If Farage continues to appeal to disillusioned voters across party lines, Labour may find it increasingly difficult to hold onto traditional support in future elections.

While Starmer holds power, Farage dominates public opinion in key leadership traits, particularly strength, decisiveness and representing change. With a quarter of Labour voters favouring Farage in critical areas, Starmer faces a growing challenge in maintaining support. If these trends persist, Labour’s grip on its traditional base could weaken, paving the way for Reform UK’s continued rise.

Download the data tables for this poll.