Sir Keir Starmer and Kemi Badenoch are both more Right-wing than their own MPs, according to a study.

Councillors asked to rate the views of their local MPs gave Sir Keir a score of 48 out of 100, putting the Prime Minister almost in the exact centre of the political spectrum.

Sir Keir’s score has shifted four points to the right since the exercise was carried out in the last Parliament.

It means that Labour’s 400-plus MPs are closer politically to backbenchers who have criticised Sir Keir’s government over issues such as cuts to winter fuel payments and refusing compensation to Waspi (Women Against State Pension Inequality) women.

The study – the most comprehensive attempt yet to classify the latest intake of MPs on a Left-Right spectrum – suggests the PM is likely to face pressure repeatedly over the course of the Parliament to deliver more Left-wing policies.

Academics asked 1,006 local councillors to rate their MPs and compare them to party leaders.

Professor Chris Hanretty, who carried out the analysis, said: ‘Before Brexit, I would have said it was normal for Prime Ministers to be more centrally located than most of their party.

‘Cameron was to the left of the Conservative Party, just as Blair was to the right of the Labour Party. I think the same would probably be said of [Harold] Wilson.’

He added: ‘Judgments are personal, but these measures should give similar results if you were to repeat the exercise tomorrow.’

In contrast, Kemi Badenoch was seen as to the right of her Parliamentary party.

Her score of 88 was close to Nigel Farage on 90, while Rishi Sunak was at the centre of gravity on 77.

Only four of the Tories’ 121 MPs were deemed to be further Right than Mr Farage, including Dame Priti Patel, the Shadow Foreign Secretary, Kenilworth and Southam MP Jeremy Wright, and Suella Braverman.

Mrs Braverman, a former home secretary, and Reform’s Rupert Lowe were jointly scored as the most Right-wing MPs in the new Parliament from any party.

Councillors asked to rate the views of their local MPs gave Sir Keir Starmer a score of 48 out of 100, putting the Prime Minister almost in the exact centre of the spectrum. Sir Keir’s score has shifted four points to the right since the exercise was carried out in the last Parliament

In contrast, Kemi Badenoch was seen as to the right of her Parliamentary party. Her score of 88 was close to Nigel Farage on 90, while Rishi Sunak was at the centre of gravity on 77

Labour’s Diane Abbott and Nadia Whittome were seen as the most left-wing MPs with a score of 4.

The most Right-wing Labour MP is Imogen Walker, who is married to Morgan McSweeney, Sir Keir’s chief of staff.

There was not much overlap between Tory and Labour MPs, although Rebecca Harris, deemed the most Left-wing Conservative MP, has seven Labour MPs to the Right of her.

Meanwhile the range of scores for Liberal Democrat MPs was almost identical to Labour’s.

This raises questions about how Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey will distinguish himself from Sir Keir and ensure his party becomes more than simply a haven for ‘protest’ voters.