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Polling shock for both Keir Starmer and Nigel Farage as new PM hope emerges

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Daily Express
December 13, 2025 6:00 PM
YoyoFeed Summarized

A new poll indicates that Andy Burnham, the Mayor of Greater Manchester, is now the preferred choice for Prime Minister over both Nigel Farage of Reform UK and Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer. When polled against Farage, one in three Britons chose Burnham, compared to 29% for Farage, a reversal from September when Farage held a lead. In a head-to-head with Starmer, 28% favored Burnham as the best Prime Minister, while only 15% selected the Labour leader.

The general public sentiment reflected in the poll shows widespread dissatisfaction with the country's direction, with 71% believing it is heading the wrong way. Burnham's favorable opinion rating stands at 30%, surpassing Farage (29%), Sir Ed Davey (24%), Kemi Badenoch (23%), Zack Polanski (20%), and Sir Keir Starmer (17%). The poll also indicated that Chancellor Rachel Reeves's recent Budget has not resonated well, with 61% holding an unfavorable opinion of her.

In broader party comparisons, a Labour Government led by Starmer and a Reform UK Government led by Farage received equal backing at 37% each. Kemi Badenoch was slightly preferred over Starmer as the best Prime Minister (26% vs. 25%), a significant shift from the previous year when Starmer had a 14-point lead. Voters are also split on whether Farage or Badenoch would be the better Prime Minister, with 25% favoring Farage and 24% Badenoch. Regarding parties to consider voting for, Reform UK leads at 36%, followed by the Conservatives at 32%, the Liberal Democrats at 29%, and Labour and the Greens both at 26%.

Burnham's strong performance in the polls fuels discussions about his potential leadership within the Labour party, despite him not holding a seat in Westminster. The article also notes that Deputy Labour Leader Lucy Powell has urged for party unity behind Keir Starmer to counter Reform UK in upcoming elections. The pollster highlighted that while Burnham has strong personal ratings and outperforms Starmer and slightly leads Farage, both Burnham and Badenoch face significant challenges, with Burnham not being in parliament and no notable improvement in the Conservative party's standing despite Badenoch's improved personal ratings.

Who is Andy Burnham and why is he polling well despite not being in Parliament?
Andy Burnham is the Mayor of Greater Manchester. His strong performance in polls, exceeding that of national party leaders like Keir Starmer and Nigel Farage, is attributed to his favorable personal ratings and the general dissatisfaction with the country's direction, though his lack of a Westminster seat is noted as a significant obstacle to potential leadership ambitions.
What is the general public sentiment regarding the country's direction?
The general public sentiment is largely negative, with a significant majority (71%) believing the country is heading in the wrong direction, and only 12% expressing a positive view.
How do the main political parties and their leaders fare in the latest polls?
Andy Burnham leads both Nigel Farage and Keir Starmer in preferred Prime Minister polls. Reform UK and the Conservatives are the parties most considered by voters. Keir Starmer's support has declined significantly compared to Kemi Badenoch, while Rachel Reeves's favorability ratings are very low.