Keir Starmer’s woes have gone from bad to worse this afternooon after an astonishing new Westminster Voting Intention poll put the Labour Party a massive 13 points behind Boris Johnson’s Conservative Party – worse figures than the 2019 General Election results.
The poll, conducted by YouGov between the 3rd and 4th of March, puts the Tories up 4 percentage points on 45%, with Labour languishing way behind, 4 points down on just 32%.
The stark numbers mean that Keir Starmer’s party would actually be in a worse position than the results they recorded in the 2019 General Election – with the Tories increasing their overall vote share by 2%, whilst Labour’s percentage remains the same as the December 2019 ballot.
Our latest Westminster voting intention has the Conservatives taking a 13 point lead:
Con: 45% (+4 from 25-26 Feb)
Lab: 32% (-4)
Green: 7% (n/c)
Lib Dem: 6% (+1)
SNP: 5% (n/c)
Reform UK: 3% (n/c)https://t.co/PozyxdVkyY pic.twitter.com/si2JNwN4HZ— YouGov (@YouGov) March 4, 2021
The poll comes hot on the heels of the Labour leader receiving widespread criticism from all sides of the political spectrum for his “lacklustre” opposition to the government, as well as for an underwhelming performance in what was billed as a major speech last week.
Starmer has also been slammed for his treatment of the wider Labour Party membership – with numerous members reportedly having been suspended simply for tabling motions against his leadership, as well the party taking the unprecedented decision to bar all three shortlisted candidates from standing in the upcoming Liverpool Mayoral Elections.
Labour’s opposition to rises in Corporation Tax – a position which one poll showed just 6% of Labour voters agreed with – and the party’s particularly low-key response to yesterday’s Budget, could also be factors in Labour’s desperately poor figures.
https://twitter.com/OwenJones84/status/1367536341509095425?s=20
However, if today’s overall figures weren’t bad enough for the party, Starmer’s previously positive personal ratings have also taken a severe hit – with just 28% of people now saying he would make the best Prime Minister, compared to 36% who picked Boris Johnson.
Which of the following do you think would make the best Prime Minister? (3-4 Mar)
Boris Johnson: 36% (+1 from 25-26 Feb)
Keir Starmer: 28% (-3)
Don't know: 33%https://t.co/PozyxdVkyY pic.twitter.com/Av6GMWNKra— YouGov (@YouGov) March 4, 2021
Meanwhile, the YouGov poll also showed a bounce for the Green Party, who – perhaps buoyed by a potential left-wing exodus from Labour – jumped above the Liberal Democrats by a single point to 7%.
Now, with just three months to go until May’s Local Elections, Starmer and his team will surely now be desperately planning how to bolster the party’s appeal – or else face the wrath of local Labour Councillors across the country should the party replicate today’s dire poll numbers.
You can view the full YouGov data here.
