Keir Starmer’s Approval Ratings Surge Amid Trump’s Withdrawal of Support for Ukraine
Labour leader gains public backing as geopolitical tensions rise following changes in U.S. foreign policy.
Keir Starmer's approval ratings have seen a significant increase following Donald Trump's return to the White House and the subsequent withdrawal of political and military support for Ukraine.
According to a recent Opinium poll conducted for the Observer, Starmer’s personal ratings have risen by 10% over the past month, reflecting a shift in public sentiment towards his leadership amid global geopolitical turbulence.
The Labour Party, traditionally regarded as weaker on defense issues, has garnered rising public support for its handling of foreign policy and defense matters.
Around 30% of voters expressed preference for Labour to manage relations with allies against threats to the UK, compared to 18% for the Conservative Party.
Additionally, 27% of respondents believe Labour would effectively allocate funding for the armed forces and defense, while 20% opted for the Conservatives.
When asked about safeguarding the UK's reputation abroad, 28% favored Labour, against 19% for the Tories.
A similar trend is observed concerning the relationship between the UK and the European Union, especially as both entities aim to bolster Europe’s defense capabilities in light of the US's potential reduction of support for Ukraine and NATO.
In this context, 32% of voters indicated a preference for Labour to facilitate this relationship, compared to only 16% for the Conservative Party.
Starmer's response to Trump's new peace initiative regarding Ukraine and his discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin has drawn commendations from MPs across the House of Commons.
Despite most of his approval ratings remaining in negative territory—indicating a higher number of disapprovals than approvals—there has been a notable positive movement in various categories since the last polling in early February.
Starmer’s perceived decisiveness has risen by 12%, views on his strength as a leader by 13%, performance in standing up for Britain’s interests abroad by 15%, competence by 10%, and likability by 10%.
Public trust surrounding the handling of the Ukraine conflict shows that 62% of voters have confidence in the UK government’s approach, whereas trust in the EU stands at 52%.
Contrastingly, only 19% of the populace expressed confidence in the US, and just 9% in Russia.
When asked about the unity of Western nations in their response to the Ukraine crisis, 67% of respondents believe that the UK and Ukraine are united, while 51% view Europe as a whole as unified, but only 26% perceive a strong alliance between the UK and the US.
Following Trump's announcement of the suspension of US military aid to Ukraine, 60% of respondents viewed this decision unfavorably, while 17% supported it, with 23% undecided.
There is widespread concern across major political party supporters about this policy choice, with voters from Reform UK being the only cohort exhibiting notable divisions on the issue.
Opinions on the likelihood of a US-brokered peace deal in Ukraine vary, with 24% of voters considering it likely, while 33% think it is unlikely, and 24% remain uncertain.
In the event that a peace deal were established, a substantial 55% believe it would primarily benefit Putin and Russia, whereas only 17% feel that President Zelenskyy and Ukraine would emerge as the principal beneficiaries.
According to a recent Opinium poll conducted for the Observer, Starmer’s personal ratings have risen by 10% over the past month, reflecting a shift in public sentiment towards his leadership amid global geopolitical turbulence.
The Labour Party, traditionally regarded as weaker on defense issues, has garnered rising public support for its handling of foreign policy and defense matters.
Around 30% of voters expressed preference for Labour to manage relations with allies against threats to the UK, compared to 18% for the Conservative Party.
Additionally, 27% of respondents believe Labour would effectively allocate funding for the armed forces and defense, while 20% opted for the Conservatives.
When asked about safeguarding the UK's reputation abroad, 28% favored Labour, against 19% for the Tories.
A similar trend is observed concerning the relationship between the UK and the European Union, especially as both entities aim to bolster Europe’s defense capabilities in light of the US's potential reduction of support for Ukraine and NATO.
In this context, 32% of voters indicated a preference for Labour to facilitate this relationship, compared to only 16% for the Conservative Party.
Starmer's response to Trump's new peace initiative regarding Ukraine and his discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin has drawn commendations from MPs across the House of Commons.
Despite most of his approval ratings remaining in negative territory—indicating a higher number of disapprovals than approvals—there has been a notable positive movement in various categories since the last polling in early February.
Starmer’s perceived decisiveness has risen by 12%, views on his strength as a leader by 13%, performance in standing up for Britain’s interests abroad by 15%, competence by 10%, and likability by 10%.
Public trust surrounding the handling of the Ukraine conflict shows that 62% of voters have confidence in the UK government’s approach, whereas trust in the EU stands at 52%.
Contrastingly, only 19% of the populace expressed confidence in the US, and just 9% in Russia.
When asked about the unity of Western nations in their response to the Ukraine crisis, 67% of respondents believe that the UK and Ukraine are united, while 51% view Europe as a whole as unified, but only 26% perceive a strong alliance between the UK and the US.
Following Trump's announcement of the suspension of US military aid to Ukraine, 60% of respondents viewed this decision unfavorably, while 17% supported it, with 23% undecided.
There is widespread concern across major political party supporters about this policy choice, with voters from Reform UK being the only cohort exhibiting notable divisions on the issue.
Opinions on the likelihood of a US-brokered peace deal in Ukraine vary, with 24% of voters considering it likely, while 33% think it is unlikely, and 24% remain uncertain.
In the event that a peace deal were established, a substantial 55% believe it would primarily benefit Putin and Russia, whereas only 17% feel that President Zelenskyy and Ukraine would emerge as the principal beneficiaries.
