The Honeymoon's Over" – Starmer and Reeves Face the Music
It's been barely six months since the Labour landslide, but the gloss seems to be coming off the Downing Street double act faster than Reeves can say "fiscal responsibility." According to new polling by Opinium, more than half the country think both Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves should pack their bags and call it a day.
The Poll: Red Faces, Red Numbers
Between November 5 and 7, Opinium asked 2,050 UK adults whether Starmer and Reeves should stay or go. The results were brutal.
- 56% said the Prime Minister should resign.
- Just 26% want him to stay.
- 19% aren't sure — perhaps waiting for the next U-turn.
Even among those who voted Labour in 2024, a third (33%) want Starmer gone. The supposed safe pair of hands is losing his grip.
Reeves fares even worse. 57% want her to resign, only 19% want her to remain, and nearly a quarter have no opinion — which, frankly, might be the kindest option. Among Labour's own voters, just 42% back her to stay on, with 38% saying she should follow the Prime Minister out the door.
The Fallout: Taxing Times
The timing couldn't be worse for Labour's front bench. Reeves' pre-budget speech — notable for what she didn't say — appears to have set off alarm bells. Her repeated refusals to rule out tax rises left commentators wondering whether the "no new taxes" promise from the manifesto was already heading for the shredder.
It's a reminder of the old political rule: the electorate will forgive many things, but not feeling misled. Especially not on money.
The Verdict
When your approval ratings are sinking faster than the pound after a mini-budget, you've got a problem. For now, Starmer and Reeves are trying to keep calm and carry on — but the public seems to think they've already overstayed their welcome.
Labour wanted stability. What they've got instead is déjà vu: a government that promised change, now looking nervously at the polls, and a Chancellor whose silence on tax is speaking volumes.
In Westminster terms, that's the sound of knives being sharpened — again.
