Rachel Reeves approval rating one point above Trump with UK voters, poll finds
Rachel Reeves’ approval ratings have slumped since March leaving her just one point more popular than US President Donald Trump with UK voters, a poll has found.
The Chancellor’s net approval ratings have declined by 12 points since delivering her Spring Statement last month, leaving Reeves at net -43, just one point above Trump on -44, who is down 17 points compared to March, according to the latest City AM/Freshwater Strategy poll.
More than half (55 per cent) of those surveyed reported an unfavourable view of Reeves, while 12 per cent reported a favourable slant, with 26 per cent describing their view as neutral or unsure.
For Trump, 64 per cent of those surveyed said they had an unfavourable view, with 20 per cent stating a favourable opinion, and 15 per cent neutral or unsure.
It came as the Freshwater polling also revealed the number of voters who think the country is heading in the wrong direction has increased in the wake of Reeves’ Spring Statement.
A clear majority of voters – 74 per cent – think that the UK is heading in the wrong direction, the researchers found, which is up five points from March on 69 per cent.
Meanwhile, 20 per cent of those surveyed said they thought the UK was heading in the right direction, which was down from 25 per cent in March.
While since March Labour’s position has declined on all key issues, Freshwater found, with Labour’s score on being best to manage reducing inflation and the cost of living dropping from zero last month to minus nine in April.
On Rachel Reeves’ remit of strengthening the national economy, Labour fell from minus three to -13, Freshwater said.
The pollsters also found that Labour’s vote share has declined by 12 points since the 2024 election, with a 14 point uplift in Reform UK’s vote share.
Modelling these estimates on a uniform swing basis, which is “rarely the case” in UK elections, Reform UK would lead with the highest number of seats at 230, roughly 95 short of a majority.
A voting intention poll would put the Conservatives on 186 seats, an increase of 65, with Reform on 230 seats, an increase of 225 from their current four, Freshwater said.
Labour, the poll found, would lose 283 seats, and end up with 129, while the Lib Dems would lose 28 seats, giving them 44. The Green Party would lose two seats, giving them two seats.
Elsewhere, Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch has reclaimed her position as preferred Prime Minister over Sir Keir Starmer, with 40 per cent, versus his 32 per cent, but both their approval ratings are net negative and have declined since March, Freshwater added.
While in Reeves’ upcoming Autumn Budget later this year, a clear majority – 56 per cent – of voters would prefer tax cuts, even if it meant less government spending on public services, Freshwater’s polling found.
Some 29 per cent said they would prefer the opposite: tax increases, to enable more government spending on public services. While around one in nine – 11 per cent – of voters were unsure.