He was the Prime Minister who rode to power on a wave of popularity with a thumping 174-seat majority. But in just a matter of months, Sir Keir Starmer is now less popular than the Tory leader he so comprehensively beat.

Sir Keir Starmer is now less popular than Rishi Sunak, according to one poll (Image: Getty)

According to a poll by Opinium, Rishi Sunak now has a higher approval rating than the man who succeeded him little more than two months ago – despite a record drubbing for the Conservatives at the ballot box.

The research comes in the wake of the new Labour Government’s unpopular decision to axe winter fuel payments for most pensioners, as well as the furore of the PM accepting thousands of pounds worth of freebies.

The poll shows that after Sir Keir walked into Downing Street on July 5, his approval rating grew – with voters seemingly keen to give the new PM a chance to prove himself.

His approval rating then was +19%.

However, in the wake of a series of rows – including about the influence of his chief of staff Sue Gray – his approval rating has now slumped to -26%. That is a staggering drop of 45 points.

At the same time, Mr Sunak’s approval rating has risen by five points in the past fortnight to -25%.

However Sir Keir is still ranked ahead of Mr Sunak and the best prime minister, beating him by 28% to 18%.

Part of Sir Keir’s pitch to voters at the General Election was that the Conservatives had left the country worse off and should be replaced.

But despite repeatedly claiming that the Tories left behind a £22billion black hole and that the incoming administration must now “fix the foundations”, Opinium said: “The public is divided on whether the new Government is on par with its predecessor, with 30% thinking Keir Starmer’s Labour Government is better than the last Conservative government under Rishi Sunak, and 34% thinking it is worse.”

Only 27% of those questioned thought the Government’s first months in office had been a success, while the poll also showed Labour is not seen as a united party. In total, 32% said it was united and 37% not.

The bombshell findings are likely to lead to questions about Labour’s controversial decisions since it came into office, heaping more pressure on Sir Keir at his first party conference as PM in the next week.

There has been widespread anger at the decision to cut winter fuel payments, with many campaigners arguing it will harm poorer pensioners this winter.

It is highly unusual for a government to become so unpopular so quickly. Sir Tony Blair’s approval rating famously hit 93% in one poll the September after his 1997 General Election win, following his “people’s princess” speech when Princess Diana died.

Sir Tony lasted 1,104 days before Labour’s approval rating dropped below 30%. Another analysis published earlier this week showed Sir Keir’s administration has hit that level in just 70 days.

Even Gordon Brown took 1,082 days to take Labour to below 30%, despite being roundly slated for not calling a snap election shortly after he became PM in 2007.

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Keir Starmer yearns for a holiday because ‘I haven’t had a day off since General Election’

Keir Starmer wishes he had a summer holiday this year (Image: Getty)

Sir Keir Starmer has complained of not having had a day off since the General Election more than two months ago.

The Prime Minister, whose party swept to power after the poll on July 4, described his schedule as “relentless” in remarks published to coincide with the start of Labour’s conference in Liverpool.

Since gaining the keys to Downing Street, Sir Keir has visited the US, Italy, Ireland, France and Germany as PM, but was forced to cancel his summer holiday because of the riots that rocked the UK in July and August.

Sir Keir said making time was important because you are a better decision-maker for having spent time with family.

He told The Observer: “It would have been good to have got away over the summer for a break, if I’m honest, because we’ve been running at this for a long time.”

Sir Keir Starmer’s holiday was scuppered by riots across the UK (Image: Getty)

The Prime Minister said while the General Election campaigning lasted a little over six weeks, his party had been in campaign mode since at least the start of the year.

Starmer added: “I haven’t had a day off since Rishi stood out there in the rain without his umbrella. I also know that this is not a good thing. Everybody, including politicians, needs to get away from time to time to have holidays.”

Sir Keir’s message comes at the end of a turbulent week for the PM with rows over his and his wife Lady Victoria Starmer’s taking donations from wealthy Labour donor Lord Waheed Alli.

Donations “in kind” have also been listed in registers of interest for Chancellor Rachel Reeves and Sir Keir’s number two, Angela Rayner. They have all said they won’t take any more donations of clothing.

His talk of taking a holiday on top of Labour leaders’ lavish gifts will anger pensioners who face a cold, harsh winter after the Government snatched their winter fuel payments away from them to plug a disputed £22billion black hole in the public finances this year.

Sue Gray earns more than the prime minister (Image: Getty)

In a series of interviews with left-leaning newpapers sympathetic to Labour, Sir Keir acknowledged the damaging impact of the row over clothing donations and of internal fighting within his Downing Street operation.

Sir Keir has been grappling with a row within his No. 10 operation after reports of tensions between Chief of Staff Sue Gray and senior officials.

The leaked disclosure showed Ms Gray is paid £170,000, some £3,000 more than the Prime Minister, and has added to the rumours of behind-closed-door difficulties in Downing Street.

He acknowledged the destabilising nature of the row, telling the Observer: “It is my job to do something about that and I accept that responsibility. And that just damages everybody.”

The PM also signalled his Government would not go down the road of austerity, telling the Sunday Mirror cuts did a huge amount of damage to Britain’s public services.

In a bid to counter suggestions he has only offered doom and gloom since coming to power, The Observer reported Sir Keir intends to set out a more positive vision for the future under Labour.

He told the publication: “I want to answer the ‘why’ question as well as the ‘what’ question. We do need to say why and explain and set out and describe the better Britain that this ladders up to.”

An early signal of his optimistic intent came as he told a Saturday night reception in Liverpool he wanted his Government to be compared with post-war leader Clement Attlee’s transformational administration.