Half of British Citizens "Do Not Support"... Is the New Labour Party Government Already Being Rejected?

In One Month, "Do Not Support" Responses Jump 20%P

The new UK Labour government, which succeeded in a regime change after 14 years, is being rejected by one in two citizens less than two months after its launch. The proportion of people who do not support the new government has surged by a staggering 20 percentage points in just the past month. Contrary to the initial pledge of no tax increases, the new government's indication of tax hikes has further worsened public opinion.

[Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

According to an August opinion poll released by YouGov on the 28th (local time), 51% of respondents said they do not support the new Labour government led by Prime Minister Keir Starmer. This marks a double-digit increase from 31% in last month's survey conducted immediately after the regime change. During the same period, the proportion supporting the Starmer government fell from 29% to 23%.

YouGov noted, "The government is somewhat more popular than its predecessor (former Conservative Prime Minister Rishi Sunak)," but added, "The concerning point is that half of the public is already negative, and this negative sentiment has surged by 20 percentage points in just one month." The approval rating of the Starmer government, which achieved a regime change after 14 years, is currently below average compared to previous governments at the same point after their launch.

This is attributed to far-right protests that shook the UK shortly after the government's launch, nepotism controversies surrounding Prime Minister Starmer, and the anticipated tax increase measures. The far-right violent protests, triggered by false information that the suspect in a stabbing incident that killed three children in the UK late last month was a Muslim asylum seeker, led to looting, arson, and assaults across various locations. In this YouGov survey, the proportion of respondents citing immigration and crime as key issues rose from 41% and 19% to 48% and 27%, respectively, within a month.

The expectation of imminent tax increases is also considered a factor worsening public opinion. According to an Ipsos poll released on the same day, 75% of UK citizens expect tax measures such as an increase in personal income tax rates to be implemented soon. This figure has risen by nearly 20 percentage points from 56% in May before the general election. The Ipsos poll was conducted from the 23rd to the 26th among 1,088 UK adults.

In a TV speech the day before, Prime Minister Starmer effectively foreshadowed tax increases by stating, "The October budget will be painful," and "The situation is more serious than imagined." These remarks contrast with his campaign pledge of no tax hikes. However, Starmer blamed the reckless policies of the previous Conservative government. Currently, the UK's public debt stands at 99.4% of gross domestic product (GDP), the highest level since the early to mid-1960s.

Additionally, Starmer defended himself against nepotism criticisms, stating that he followed procedures from start to finish. He claimed, "We know how fast we need to move. That is why we are placing the best talents in the best positions." Regarding the Conservative Party, which raised these criticisms, he dismissed them by saying, "I do not want to hear lectures on this issue from those who have dragged our country down to this extent over the past few years."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.