Majority of Britons expect Starmer to be replaced before 2029: Poll
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75% of those polled said they expect Starmer to leave office before the next election.
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Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer addresses a press conference during the NATO summit in The Hague, Netherlands, Wednesday, June 25, 2025 (Ben Stansall/Pool Photo via AP)
A new UK-wide poll reveals that a majority of voters doubt Prime Minister Keir Starmer will remain in office through the next general election, reflecting widespread frustration over his domestic and international leadership. The survey, conducted by Find Out Now for the Daily Mail and released on Sunday, underscores growing calls for change at the top of the Labour government.
According to the June 27 poll of 2,666 adults, 75% said they expect Starmer to leave office before the next election, scheduled no later than August 2029. In addition, 61% said he should resign outright.
Leadership Crisis
The results follow weeks of controversy that have shaken public confidence. Starmer's government recently proposed, and then abruptly reversed, cuts to disability benefits, after more than 120 Labour MPs revolted, forcing a policy U-turn. He later admitted he had "lost grip" of the issue while focusing on foreign affairs, a miscalculation that further alienated his base.
Discontent is also visible within his cabinet. 64% of poll respondents said Starmer should sack Chancellor Rachel Reeves, indicating that frustrations are not limited to the prime minister himself. Reeves has faced backlash for her role in unpopular welfare policies and economic stagnation.
The poll also asked who the public would support if Starmer were replaced. 9% favored Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner, 6% chose Health Secretary Wes Streeting, and 1% backed Rachel Reeves. Though leadership speculation has swirled, a lawmaker close to Rayner told the Daily Mail she is "the most acceptable and most viable option" within the Labour Party but dismissed the notion of an active leadership challenge as "nonsense."
Read more: Reeves to announce UK's biggest spending cuts since austerity
Crisis Mounting
Starmer's troubles are not confined to the domestic front. His response to "Israel's" war on Gaza, particularly his early endorsement of Tel Aviv's right to cut off power and water to civilians, provoked outrage from Labour's grassroots, leading to multiple resignations among Muslim councillors and condemnation at events like Glastonbury, where artists led chants against him.
He was also recently forced to apologize for a speech warning that the UK risked becoming an "island of strangers", a statement critics likened to far-right rhetoric. Meanwhile, his acceptance of lavish gifts and event tickets has drawn accusations of hypocrisy in the midst of rising austerity.
As Starmer struggles to regain control over both his party and public narrative, the poll results reflect a growing sense that his leadership may not withstand mounting internal rebellion and external criticism, less than a year into his premiership.
