Labour’s poll lead falls to just one point with approval rating for Keir Starmer on -36 – as Cabinet minister admits PM’s ‘young Government’ will suffer more ‘missteps’ after Sue Gray scandal
Keir Starmer’s ‘young Government’ will suffer more ‘missteps’, a Cabinet minister admitted today as Labour’s poll lead slumped to just one point.
Downing Street said ‘new structures’ at No 10 would help get the Government back on track after a turbulent period that has led to the departures of chief of staff Sue Gray and Cabinet Secretary Simon Case.
The Prime Minister told his Cabinet the shake-up was focused on ‘delivering the change that he was elected to deliver’.
But the scale of the challenge was underlined by polls showing Sir Keir’s popularity is in freefall following a honeymoon period of infighting, rows about donors and freebies plus an unpopular decision to scrap the winter fuel payment for ten million pensioners.
One poll found that, just three months after the landslide general election win, Labour’s lead over the Conservatives has dropped to a single point.
Sir Keir Starmer addressing the House of Commons on Tuesday. A Cabinet minister has said that the Government will suffer more ‘missteps’
Leader of the Opposition Rishi Sunak responding to Sir Keir. Labour’s poll lead over the Conservatives has shrunk to just one point
The More in Common survey put Labour support on 29 per cent, Conservatives on 28 per cent, Reform on 19 per cent, Lib Dems on 11 per cent and the Greens on 7 per cent.
Another survey found that Sir Keir now has a net approval rating of minus 36 – lower than Reform UK leader Nigel Farage.
Louise Haigh acknowledged yesterday the Government was suffering difficulties and declined to say whether Sir Keir’s ‘reset’ would fix the problem.
The Transport Secretary said: ‘This is a young Government, there is bound to be missteps in the first few months. Very few of us have served in Government before. We have got 14 years of opposition and 14 years of a juggernaut to turn around.’
Asked if further mistakes could occur, she added: ‘No government is perfect and I am not going to promise you there is going to be no mistakes made.’ Ms Haigh, a close ally of Sue Gray, refused to say whether her ‘good friend’ had been treated fairly by the Prime Minister.
Ms Gray was recruited by Sir Keir from her high-flying civil service role last year to oversee Labour’s plans for government.
She was ousted as chief of staff at the weekend following controversies, including her decision to take a higher salary than the PM.
Allies have suggested she was the victim of a ‘boys club’ inside No 10 led by her replacement Morgan McSweeney, who masterminded Labour’s election win.
Ms Haigh denied the PM has a ‘woman problem’ but, asked if Ms Gray was treated fairly, she replied: ‘I’ve not been privy to those internal conversations.’
David Lammy speaking from the dispatch box after the PM in the Commons on Tuesday
A turbulent period at No 10 has led to the departure of the PM’s chief-of-staff Sue Gray
Allies suggested Ms Gray was the victim of a ‘boys club’ inside No 10, led by her now successor Morgan McSweeney, the mastermind behind Labour’s election victory
Mr McSweeney is said to be preparing to make ‘radical changes’ to the way No 10 operates, with a source claiming the new chief believes the ‘day-to-day machinery of government doesn’t work’.
However, Labour sources downplayed reports that he will push for an immediate reshuffle to weed out failing ministers.
Labour MPs have criticised the Government for failing to explain what Sir Keir is trying to achieve with one saying: ‘It has felt like a constant diet of doom and gloom.’
But allies of Ms Gray have warned that her removal will not fix the Government’s problems.
One reportedly remarked: ‘The dysfunction in Downing Street is not the fault of Sue, there are systemic issues which Starmer has not addressed.’
