Farage Outperforms Starmer Across Key Leadership Traits

Despite leading the Labour government and the majority viewing Starmer as the better Prime Minister (40%) over Nigel Farage, Keir Starmer continues to struggle in public perception, with Farage outperforming him in 16 out of the 21 key leadership characteristics, reinforcing his image as a stronger, more decisive leader.

One of the most striking findings is Farage’s increasing appeal among Labour voters. A quarter of them now rate him higher in crucial areas such as leadership, decision-making and immigration. This highlights a persistent vulnerability for Labour.

Farage Strengthens His Position as the Candidate of Change and Unifying the British Public

Farage remains the overwhelming favourite when it comes to representing change, with 39% of respondents seeing him as the candidate most likely to bring transformation, compared to 35% for Starmer. While this is a slight narrowing from the previous poll (42% to 29%), the data still suggests that Farage continues to be the primary choice for disillusioned voters looking for an alternative.

Similarly, Farage is now more clearly seen as the candidate who can unite the British people. In the last poll, he narrowly led Starmer (34% to 32%). This gap has now widened, with Farage at 40% and Starmer at 34%, indicating a shift in public sentiment that favours Farage’s ability to connect with different voter groups.

Farage’s Leadership Strength Remains Undisputed

The perception of Farage as a stronger leader remains one of the most consistent trends. In the previous poll, he held a commanding lead over Starmer in this category (41% to 29%). The latest results show almost no change, with Farage maintaining a strong 40% compared to Starmer’s 31%.

His reputation for bold decision-making and being unafraid to be unpopular has also solidified. Farage leads Starmer by 39% to 34% on making bold decisions and by a significant 45% to 30% on being willing to take unpopular positions, an increase from his already substantial lead in the previous poll. This suggests that the public still sees Farage as a leader who stands his ground, regardless of political consequences.

Farage’s Strength on Key Policy Issues

Immigration remains a key area where Farage significantly outperforms Starmer. In the last poll, 41% of respondents believed he was best equipped to fix the immigration system, compared to 27% for Starmer. The latest figures show Starmer making only a marginal gain to 29%, while Farage maintains his 41% support. This confirms that immigration remains one of his strongest policy areas.

Farage also retains his lead on standing up for the UK’s interests, although the gap has slightly narrowed. Previously, he led Starmer by nine points (41% to 32%). Now, he still holds a lead but by a closer margin of 37% to 36%.

On economic competence, both leaders struggle to convince the public but Farage still has the edge. In the last poll, he led Starmer on building a strong economy by 34% to 31%. The latest results show a slight increase to 35% for Farage and 32% for Starmer.

Where Starmer Holds an Advantage

Despite Farage’s dominance in leadership traits, Starmer does outperform him in a few key areas. His most notable lead remains on healthcare, where he is ahead 34% to 32%, consistent with Labour’s traditional association with the NHS. But given the historical strength of the Labour party on the NHS this gap is surprisingly small.

With his latest leadership in bringing European leaders together to support Ukraine, he has also improved perceptions of working with foreign leaders. In the last poll, Farage narrowly led in this category but Starmer has now overtaken him 38% to 35%. While the margin is still small, this is one of the few areas where Starmer has made a noticeable gain.

Starmer continues to lead on prioritising the environment, though his advantage has shrunk. In the previous poll, he led by 37% to 25% but that gap has narrowed to 34% to 29%.

Labour’s Vulnerability Among Its Own Voters

Perhaps the most concerning finding for Labour is that Farage continues to gain traction among its supporters. In the last poll, 25% of Labour voters rated Farage highly in key areas such as leadership, decision-making and immigration. The latest data suggests this trend is holding, with Farage still securing notable support from Labour’s base.

This is particularly alarming for Labour in working-class and Red Wall constituencies, where disillusionment with mainstream politics remains high. The significant number of undecided voters in many categories, often exceeding 30%, suggests that while Starmer remains the leader of the Labour Party, he has yet to fully establish himself as the dominant political figure.

While Starmer holds power and has gained a bounce in support following a successful week leading on the issue of Ukraine, Farage continues to dominate public perception in key leadership areas, particularly strength, decisiveness and representing change. With a quarter of Labour voters favouring Farage in crucial categories, Starmer faces a growing challenge in solidifying support. If these trends persist, Labour’s hold on its traditional base could weaken further, creating new opportunities for Reform UK to expand its influence.

Download the data tables for this poll.