Voting intention: 25th February 2026
See the full data tables here.
Keir Starmer’s approval rating has fallen to its lowest point yet, as Reform maintains its national lead and tactical voting pressures intensify on both Labour and the Conservatives. Meanwhile, public opinion on immigration, Reform policy proposals, and the monarchy reveals a fragmented and volatile political landscape.
Starmer Hits New Approval Low as Reform Leads
Reform continues to top voting intention on 30%, followed by Labour and the Conservatives tied on 18%. The Greens stand at 13%, with the Liberal Democrats on 12%.
Keir Starmer’s net approval rating has dropped five points to –49, his lowest since becoming Prime Minister and lower than the lowest ratings recorded by Theresa May, Boris Johnson or Rishi Sunak during their premierships.
Other party leaders remain in negative territory:
- Kemi Badenoch: –8
- Ed Davey: –5
- Nigel Farage: –13
- Zack Polanski: –7
On “Best Prime Minister,” Badenoch now leads Starmer by two points (22% vs 20%), while Farage leads Starmer by four points (29% vs 25%). In both cases, large numbers choose neither.
Tactical Voting Pressures Mount
The fragmentation of British politics is increasingly visible in voter behaviour.
Nearly half (47%) of Labour voters say they would consider voting Green in a future general election. Similarly, 45% of Green voters say they would consider voting Labour.
On the right, 42% of Conservative voters say they would consider voting Reform, while 45% of Reform voters would consider voting Conservative.
When asked about switching tactically if their preferred party were unlikely to win locally:
- 21% of Labour voters would switch to the Greens
- 20% of Green voters would switch to Labour
- 23% of Conservatives would switch to Reform
- 15% of Reform voters would switch to the Conservatives
These figures suggest that both Labour and the Conservatives face vulnerability from adjacent parties, with loyalty on the right appearing more resilient among Reform voters.
Why Voters Choose Their Parties
Among Green supporters or those considering voting Green, the top motivations are:
- Climate change and the environment (40%)
- The cost of living and the economy (28%)
- The NHS and public services (28%)
For Reform voters, immigration dominates:
- Immigration and border control (66%)
- Dissatisfaction with Labour (32%)
- Desire for political change (29%)
Conservative voters cite dissatisfaction with Labour (36%), economic management (31%), business support (26%) and immigration (26%) as their primary drivers.
Reform’s Immigration Proposals Attract Broad Support
When tested without party branding, some Reform-backed proposals draw significant backing.
A tougher deportation system, including a dedicated national deportation force, receives 56% support (net +36).
On banning the conversion of churches into places of worship for other religions, opinion is more divided: 40% oppose conversion, while 34% support allowing it if local communities and property owners agree.
Monarchy Retains Broad Support (with caveats!)
A majority (56%) say Britain should continue to have a monarchy, while only 24% favour becoming a republic.
Overall sentiment towards the monarchy is positive, with strong agreement that it enhances Britain’s international reputation and benefits the economy. However, there is also broad agreement that the monarchy is an elitist institution.
Among individual royals, Prince William and Catherine, Princess of Wales, are the most popular, while Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and Sarah Ferguson are viewed most unfavourably.
The controversy surrounding Andrew’s past associations has negatively affected perceptions of the monarchy overall, though leading figures such as Prince William remain largely insulated.
A fragmenting political landscape
As Opinium’s James Crouch notes:
“The Gorton and Denton defeat, alongside Keir Starmer’s worst-ever ratings, shows just how shaky Labour’s ground has become. With large swathes of its remaining voters eyeing the Greens, and the Conservatives equally exposed to Reform, the traditional bases of both major parties look more fragile than ever.”
With leader ratings deeply negative, tactical voting rising, and voter loyalties softening across the political spectrum, the UK’s party system appears increasingly unstable as 2026 unfolds.
Opinium conducted a nationally and politically representative survey of 2,050 UK adults between 25 and 27 February 2026.