Keir Starmer’s approval rating jumps 10 points despite calls for his resignation – but he’s still polling worse than Theresa May before she quit
In a surprising twist amid mounting pressure on Downing Street, Keir Starmer has seen his public favourability rating improve by 10 points in the latest YouGov tracker for February 2026.
However, the Prime Minister remains deeply unpopular, with his net score still hovering at levels comparable to, or slightly worse than, those of Theresa May in the final days before her resignation in 2019.
YouGov’s political favourability ratings published on Thursday (12 February) shows Starmer’s net favourability now stands at -47. This marks a notable recovery from January’s figure, driven by a four-point rise in favourable views (to 22%) and a six-point drop in unfavourable opinions (to 69%).
Among Labour’s 2024 voter base, the shift is even more pronounced: opinions are now evenly split at 46% favourable and 46% unfavourable, compared to a 39%-55% split in the previous month.
A turbulent start to the year
The uptick comes despite a turbulent start to 2026 for the Prime Minister. Starmer has faced intense criticism within his own party over his decision to block Andy Burnham, seen by some as a potential leadership rival, from standing in the upcoming Gorton and Denton by-election.
More dramatically, he weathered direct calls for his resignation last week, including from Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar, following the controversial appointment of Peter Mandelson as UK ambassador to the US amid scrutiny over Mandelson’s past associations.
Starmer has insisted he will not step down, and the poll suggests the immediate crisis may have paradoxically steadied his position somewhat among the wider public. The improvement takes his rating to its highest level since August 2025, though it remains far from positive territory.
Worse than Theresa May?
Comparisons to previous prime ministers make grim reading for No. 10. Starmer’s current -47 net score is broadly in line with Theresa May’s lowest point of -49 just before she announced her departure in May 2019.
It also echoes the lows hit by Rishi Sunak (-53) ahead of the 2024 election and Boris Johnson (-53) on the day he resigned. Only Liz Truss’s catastrophic -70 in her final days ranks significantly worse.
Other political figures fare variably in the same survey. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch recorded her highest net rating since November 2024 at -23, with 27% favourable views — her best on record. Reform UK’s Nigel Farage holds steady at -37 net (27% favourable, 64% unfavourable), while Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey remains at -10.
The data underscores the precarious position of the Labour government less than two years into its term. While Starmer’s personal bounce offers a glimmer of respite after months of declining popularity, the overall picture remains challenging, with unfavourable views still dominating by a wide margin and local elections looming later this year.
