Sir Keir Starmer has seen a 10-point jump in his approval rating in the last fortnight as he has rushed to assemble international support for Ukraine.
In the latest sign that his leadership in the crisis has helped him win back the support of voters, he now has a net approval rating of -23%.
He remains less popular than the other main party leaders – the Tories’ Kemi Badenoch (-17%), Reform UK’s Nigel Farage (-10%) and the Liberal Democrats’ Sir Ed Davey (2%).
The polling by Opinium found three in five believe the UK should increase defence spending. While 44% said this should be done by increasing public spending, only 17% wanted an increase in tax.
When asked who is leading negotiations on behalf of Europe to end the war in Ukraine, 21% said Sir Keir with 12% saying French president Emmanuel Macron and 9% European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen.
Priya Minhas of Opinium said: “The rapidly evolving Ukraine and Russia conflict appears to be a turning point for Keir Starmer’s public image. For much of his tenure as Prime Minister, Starmer has grappled with negative approval ratings.
“However, in the past fortnight, his handling of the crisis has started to shift perceptions. He’s now seen as more decisive, brave and more capable of standing up for Britain on the world stage.
“His leadership is resonating more with the public, and these early signs suggest that his adept handling of international affairs could be the key to reshaping public opinion in his favour.”
