Public Sentiment Favors Former PM Over Current Labour Leadership Contenders
New polling data indicates a significant portion of the British public believes former Prime Minister Tony Blair would be a more effective leader than current figures vying for control of the Labour party and, by extension, the country. These findings emerge shortly after Sir Tony Blair delivered a pointed critique of Labour’s current direction.
Blair Outperforms Starmer and Burnham in Hypothetical PM Race
According to recent polling conducted by Opinium, 39% of voters believe Sir Tony Blair would perform better as Prime Minister than Sir Keir Starmer. Conversely, only 16% of respondents felt he would be a worse leader than the current Labour leader.
The survey also revealed that more than a quarter of those polled (27%) anticipate Sir Tony Blair would be a better choice for Prime Minister than Wes Streeting, the former Health Secretary. Just 15% suggested Sir Tony would be a worse candidate for the top job.
Furthermore, 23% of respondents indicated that the former Prime Minister would be a superior leader to Andy Burnham, the Mayor of Greater Manchester. Only 21% believed Sir Tony would be worse than Mr. Burnham in running the country.
Analysis of Former Prime Ministers’ Public Perception
The polling suggests a more favorable public view of prime ministers who have long departed Downing Street compared to those who have held the office in recent years. Among the nine most recent former Prime Ministers, Baroness Thatcher garners the highest respect, with a net approval rating of +14 when respondents were asked about her performance.
Sir John Major is the only other former Prime Minister to achieve a net positive rating, standing at +5. In terms of less unpopularity among recent leaders, Sir Tony Blair leads with a net approval rating of -5. He is followed by Gordon Brown (-10), Lord Cameron (-13), Rishi Sunak (-16), Boris Johnson (-21), Baroness May (-34), and Liz Truss (-67).
Blair’s Recent Warnings to the Labour Party
Sir Tony Blair has been vocal about his concerns regarding the Labour party’s trajectory. In an essay published last month, he cautioned that the party is “playing with fire” concerning its future and the nation’s outlook. He argued in a detailed analysis of the United Kingdom’s challenges that attempting to remove the current Prime Minister without a clear policy direction is not a “serious way of conducting ourselves.”
James Crouch, head of policy and public affairs at Opinium, commented on the findings: “For all the debate sparked by Tony Blair and the ‘hot essay summer,’ the public still lean towards saying he was a bad rather than a good prime minister. Perhaps more worrying for Labour, they also struggle to see any of the party’s current leadership contenders as offering a markedly better alternative.”
