Majority of Labour Members Want New Leader Before Election, Poll Finds

More than half of Labour Party members believe the party should replace Sir Keir Starmer before the next general election, according to a new survey.

The Survation poll, commissioned by LabourList, revealed that 53% of members favour a new leader before the election, while just 31% think Starmer should remain. The poll also found that 64% of members believe Starmer has governed poorly since taking office, and 65% feel Labour is moving in the wrong direction.

Emma Burnell, editor of LabourList, said the findings underline the challenges Starmer faces ahead of the party’s upcoming conference.

“The plain truth is Starmer has to do an awful lot this week to convince his party he has a plan to turn things around and the capability to achieve a revival of Labour’s fortunes,” Burnell noted.

She added that members will be looking not just for a clear strategy but also for a leader who can communicate it passionately to the wider public.

Although membership polling is sometimes seen as unreliable, the results echo growing unease among activists and MPs over the party’s performance. With the next general election approaching, Starmer is under pressure to reassure his party that Labour can present a credible alternative government.