Keir Starmer’s net approval rating has risen 6 points in the last fortnight, according to Opinium’s latest poll.
His approval rating now sits at -35%, marking a return to the average level recorded by Opinium during his time as Prime Minister. This follows his previous rating which was his lowest to date.
Meanwhile, Rachel Reeves’ approval rating has not changed and remains on -39%.
Nigel Farage’s net approval score has improved by 5 points and is now -7%. Kemi Badenoch’s approval rating has dropped however, declining by 4 points to -23%.
A quarter (25%) (+2%) say Keir Starmer would be best Prime Minister compared to 12% (-2%) who chose Kemi Badenoch.
Many are dissatisfied with the choice between the two however, as half (49%, N/C) say they think none of these would make the best Prime Minister.
Following reports that the water regulator, Ofwat, will be scrapped by the government, Opinium’s poll finds that generally water companies are less trusted to act in the public interest ( -36% net trust) compared to energy and rail companies (-29% and -8% net trust respectively). Perhaps unsurprisingly, public support for the nationalisation of water companies is high, with the majority (55%) supporting this, while 13% oppose the idea.
More than half (56%) think a publicly owned (renationalised) water industry would manage water better than privately owned water companies, whom 10% think would do a better job at managing. Similarly, 51% think a nationalised water company would be most likely to reduce the direct cost of using water for consumers whereas only 9% think bills would reduce most under a private company.
In terms of where the money for public ownership should come from, 30% want cuts from other services to pay for this, while 11% think it should be paid for by additional taxes, and 13% think the money should be borrowed.
With debate around leaving the European Convention of Human Rights (ECHR) ongoing, Opinium’s poll shows that almost half (48%) are still in favour of staying signed up to the convention, while 30% think the UK should leave it.
Over a quarter of the public (28%) believe that small boats arrivals would drop if the UK left the convention, but 42% think it would make no difference.
Just over three in five (62%) think the ECHR needs reform.
Labour’s recent pledge to lower the voting age to 16 has divided the public with 52% opposing the 16-year-old voting age, while a quarter (25%) support the idea.
Finally, in the week where Keir Starmer suspended four Labour MPs in retaliation for voting against the government’s welfare bill, only 11% of the public think it is always or often right for parties to take this course of action.
In contrast 25% think withdrawing an MP’s whip for voting against their own party, and subsequently making them an independent, is rarely or never the right solution.
James Crouch, head of policy and public affairs at Opinium, said: “Following on from the Environment Secretary Steve Reed ruling out nationalising water companies due to financial constraints, our polling shows a strong appetite for public ownership of water.
“A majority believe renationalisation would deliver both better service and lower bills – reinforcing a growing perception that Labour’s fiscal constraints continue to stand in the way of the transformative change many feel the country urgently needs.”
