[Global Focus] Rapidly Falling Approval Ratings and Daily Scandals... What Is Happening to 'Jeonggwon Gyochae' in the UK?

Prime Minister Keir Starmer in Crisis

"In the past 11 weeks, we have accomplished far more than the previous government did in the past 11 years."

This is the early assessment made by Prime Minister Keir Starmer himself ahead of this week's Labour Party conference, following his success in the July 4 UK early general election that ended 14 years of Conservative rule.

However, this is at odds with the reality Starmer faces. Just three months after the election, approval ratings have plummeted to historic lows, reflecting the cooling public sentiment. Recently, scandals involving expensive clothing and gift tickets have emerged, acting as negative factors for the ruling Labour Party as a whole. The Guardian reported, "The honeymoon for the new government is over." BBC broadcast conveyed the public's disappointment, saying, "He (Starmer) promised he would be different, but he was not."

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer
Photo by AFP Yonhap News

Less than three months in office... approval ratings plunge

According to a new opinion poll released by Opinium on the first day of the Labour Party conference on the 22nd (local time), only 24% of respondents supported Prime Minister Starmer's job performance. This is a historic low, a double-digit drop from 37% in June just before the election. Meanwhile, opposition to Starmer's job performance rose to 50%. The gap between approval and disapproval ratings is -26%, a drop of 45 percentage points since the early general election in July. This level is even lower than that of former Conservative Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.

These poll results suggest that the honeymoon period for the new government, which came to power on the platform of judging the Conservative Party in the July early general election, ended in less than three months. 57% of respondents evaluated the early actions of the Starmer government negatively. Even among those who voted for Labour, more than three out of ten gave a negative assessment. James Crouch, Opinium's policy director, said, "Unlike before the election, Labour's advantage in the economic sector has almost disappeared. Most of the criticism is directed at Prime Minister Starmer."

In a recent Ipsos poll, Starmer's approval rating was lower than those of his predecessors, except for former Prime Minister Liz Truss (Conservative), who held the shortest term (August to October 2022). While 25% said Starmer was doing well, the percentage saying he was doing poorly soared from 14% in July to 42% in September.

Examining the reasons behind the sharp drop in approval ratings

Several factors are cited as reasons for the rapid end of the new government's honeymoon and the sharp decline in approval ratings. The Starmer government, which called for change and growth, was shaken from the start by far-right and anti-immigration protests across the UK. Although a tough response was declared, it failed to prevent growing social unrest. Controversies over public sector spending cuts and tax increases amid a large-scale debt crisis have also continued. Recently, scandals have erupted involving Prime Minister Starmer and his wife, Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner, and other senior Labour officials receiving expensive clothing, Arsenal football match tickets, and Taylor Swift concert tickets as gifts.

Regarding these expensive gifts, although the law requires reporting to parliamentary authorities within 28 days and does not constitute a violation if reported, they have served to amplify public disappointment with the new government. Critics have called it 'hypocrisy' inconsistent with Starmer's promise to "restore trust in politics" and his call to judge the Conservative Party. Sky News reported that the value of gifts and benefits Starmer has received since December 2019 exceeds ?100,000 (about 178 million KRW). Facing ongoing criticism, Labour announced it would no longer accept such gifts, but it has not been able to regain the lost public trust. Deputy Prime Minister Rayner explained to the BBC, "I know people are angry. But these gifts and donations have been a long-standing political practice."

Professor Victoria Honeyman of the University of Leeds said that the first few months in office are inevitably difficult due to voters' high expectations but added, "They (Labour) made mistakes. The clothing scandal is not a fatal blow, but it is something that will remain in people's memories." Some media noted that when Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson was asked why she received Taylor Swift concert tickets, she replied, "Because my child wanted to go." Prime Minister Starmer also received the same tickets for free.

Additionally, local reports indicate growing dissatisfaction among Downing Street staff after Starmer changed regulations to allow Chief of Staff Sue Gray to receive a salary of about ?170,000 (approximately 299 million KRW), higher than his own. The Guardian questioned, "The toxic stories emerging ahead of the Labour Party conference are precisely about internal conflicts within Downing Street," and asked, "Why is there so much (information) leakage from the ship led by Starmer?"

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

Will next month's 'budget' be a bombshell? Focus on tax increases and spending cuts

The problem is that the road ahead for the Starmer government is not easy. With approval ratings already plummeting, the 'budget' to be unveiled at the end of next month is a major concern. Considering the UK's large fiscal deficit, measures such as tax increases and welfare spending cuts are essential, but these inevitably face public opposition. In other words, these factors could lead to further declines in approval ratings. Major foreign media evaluated, "One of the problems facing Prime Minister Starmer is that many people expect a 'painful budget' at the end of next month," and "Labour has generally failed to create public expectations that it is taking the first step toward a better Britain."

These concerns are clearly reflected in the Labour Party conference, which is being held over four days this week. The Associated Press reported, "This conference should be a celebration for Labour, which succeeded in changing the government, but it has not brought joy to Prime Minister Starmer," adding, "Many Labour MPs are worried due to the continuous bad news. They fear the situation will worsen after next month's budget announcement with tax increases and spending cuts."

Starmer has already warned that he must make difficult decisions, citing a public sector fiscal deficit of as much as ?22 billion inherited from the Conservative government. One of the first measures announced immediately afterward was a cut in winter heating benefits for pensioners, which sparked controversy and led directly to the plunge in approval ratings. Sharon Graham, general secretary of Unite, one of the UK's two largest unions, criticized it as a "cruel policy," saying, "I hope he admits he made a mistake and reverses the policy. He must say he will not drag this country into a second round of austerity."

Prime Minister Starmer's conference speech, which is attracting public attention, will take place on the 24th. Earlier, in a media interview released on the first day of the conference, he confirmed his intention not to hinder growth through excessive austerity or pressure the public sector.