Data from Ipsos’ latest Political Monitor, taken before the Labour and Conservative Party conferences, shows the public is deeply sceptical about the Conservatives returning to government, while the public perception of the current Labour government continues to deteriorate.
Meanwhile, Reform UK has a strong party image, but the public is yet to be convinced they are ready for government, either.
Both Labour and the Conservative party are seen by a majority of Britons as promising anything to win votes (Labour 63%, Conservative 66%), being divided (Labour 62%, Conservative 58%) and out of date (Labour 53%, Conservative 63%).
Reform UK is seen by majorities as being different (66%), but also extreme (62%) and promising anything to win votes (61%).
Notably, Reform has a clear lead over both Labour and the Conservatives on understanding the problems facing Britain (42% vs Labour 29%, Conservatives 25%), looking after the interests of people (30% vs 20% Labour, 19% Conservatives), and being concerned about people in read need (36% vs Labour 27%, Conservatives 16%).
At the same time, none of the main three parties are seen as being fit to govern, with Labour and Reform level (Labour 27%, Reform 25%), or as keeping their promises (Labour 14%, Reform 17%, Conservatives 11%).
While few think any of the main three parties have a good team of leaders, Reform has a small lead, with one in four (26%) saying this, vs only one in five (19%) saying the same about Labour and 14% about the Conservatives.
Reform is seen as the best of three bad options
A majority (58%) of respondents disagree that Labour deserve to be re-elected, with only 22% agreeing. Ipsos noted that these figures are comparable to those seen by the Conservatives during the 2024 General Election campaign (20% agree, early June 2024), though more were disagreeing at the time (67%). Among their own 2024 voters, only two in five (40%) agree the party deserves to be re-elected.
At the same time, a majority disgaree Reform UK is ready to form the next government (53% disagree, 29% agree), though their 2024 voters overwhelmingly back the party (80% agree).
Nearly two thirds do not agree the Conservative Party is ready to form the next government (64% disagree, 15% agree). These figures are much worse than what Labour were seeing ahead of the 2024 general election – in July 2024 49% agreed Labour was ready to form the next government, or the Conservatives in May 2010 – 65% agreed they were ready to form the government just before the 2010 election.
With only 15% saying the Opposition is ready to form the government, this is the lowest we’ve ever recorded since we began tracking in the 1994. Among 2024 Conservative voters, less than half (45%) agree they are ready to form the next government.
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