London, United Kingdom

Kemi Badenoch's tenure as leader of the UK's Conservative Party has begun with one of the worst approval ratings — weaker than those of her predecessors Rishi Sunak and Boris Johnson at the start of their leadership, according to the latest 'Opinium poll' by the Observer. 

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Badenoch's net approval rating, as per the poll, stands at -5 per cent. Before this, only Liz Truss, at -9 per cent, fared worse among recent Tory leaders.  

Breakdown of Conservative Party leader's ratings 

The poll revealed that while 20 per cent of voters approve of Badenoch, 25 per cent disapprove. Among those who backed the Conservatives in the last general election, 46 per cent approve of her leadership, though 36 per cent remain neutral. Despite this lukewarm start, Badenoch’s approval score is significantly better than the -22 per cent net rating Sunak had at the end of his leadership.  

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Starmer vs Badenoch: Approval ratings

As per The Guardian, Labour leader Keir Starmer's approval rating remains static from a fortnight ago at -24 per cent. Yet, when voters are asked who would make the best prime minister, Starmer leads Badenoch by 12 percentage points. This is a notable increase from the seven-point gap he held over Sunak two weeks ago.  

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Badenoch, however, appears to resonate with voters as a leader with strong convictions. She outshines Starmer significantly on perceived bravery, with a net score of +8 compared to his -19 per cent. Early impressions suggest that voters see her as principled, decisive, and willing to stick to her beliefs.  

Trump's return 

The survey also marks the first Opinium poll since Donald Trump's US election victory, an event that appears to have sharply divided UK opinion. While 30 per cent of Britons view Trump's return positively, 44 per cent see it as a negative development.

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His re-election has raised concerns over its implications for Ukraine, with almost half of UK adults believing it bodes poorly for the war-torn country.  

Despite the polarisation, 72 per cent of Britons maintain that the UK and US share much in common, though only 56 per cent still regard the US as an ally. Notably, 43 per cent believe the UK should prioritise standing by its principles, even if it means diverging from American policies.  

(With inputs from agencies)