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Reform UK set to gain the most from Labour voter remorse, poll for LBC shows
7 January 2025, 07:42 | Updated: 7 January 2025, 07:44
Nigel Farage's Reform Party could gain most from regretful Labour voters, a poll for LBC has found.
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Research by More in Common reveals that the Tories may not be capitalising on Keir Starmer's woes - after we revealed yesterday that one in four people who backed Labour last summer, now regret their decision.
It comes as MPs return to Parliament in Westminster this week - and the PM made a major speech on his plan to drive down waiting lists.
And Nigel Farage will be speaking with LBC's Nick Ferrari this morning for an exclusive phone-in.
Read more: Reform membership surpasses Conservatives, Nigel Farage claims
The feelings of regret reported were the highest amongst older voters - with a third of baby boomers saying they regret the decision.
Young voters are least regretful of their choice, with 65 per cent of Gen Z not regretting their vote.
But the Tories don't seem to have capitalised on Labour voters' regrets, the polling shows.
Asking regretful Labour voters where they would go and vote for instead, 28 per cent said Reform UK, and 20 per cent said the Liberal Democrats.
Just 17 per cent said they would be drawn back to vote for the Conservatives, and 10 per cent said they'd now opt for the Greens.
The research also revealed that six in ten (62 per cent) think Labour are not taking immigration seriously enough.
Just one in five people (19 per cent) are satisfied with how the government is treating it.
Sir Keir Starmer was criticised at the end of last year for not making immigration a part of his six milestones.
The government has said that it's part of their foundations - and that the PM is taking his promise to smash the people-smuggling gangs seriously.
Our polling showed that Brits see migration as their third most important priority for his government this year, after the NHS and the economy.
More than six in ten Britons (62 per cent) now say Labour are not taking concerns about immigration seriously enough, with just one in five (19 per cent) satisfied with how seriously the government is taking immigration.
Labour voters themselves are more positive - but are split.
45 per cent of them are satisfied with how seriously Labour are taking concerns about immigration - but 43 per cent say that Labour is not taking voters’ concerns seriously enough.
The poll also showed that Labour's performance so far in their first six months has undermined trust in politics.
Almost half the country (46 per cent) say that the Labour Government has made them trust politics less over the last six months, compared to just 10 per cent who say the new government has increased their trust in politics.
When Labour voters are polled, 29 per cent of them say the new government has increased their trust - and 23 per cent say it's got worse.
Our poll also shows that most voters have no clear favourite for who they would like to take over from Sir Keir - despite chatter in Westminster about who could be next.
45 per cent of the public said they don't know - but 23 per cent said Nigel Farage.
Deputy PM Angela Rayner was the most popular among the Labour names, with nine per cent of people saying they'd like to see her take over.
Interestingly, 27 per cent of Conservative voters want to see Nigel Farage take over next, compared to 41 per cent who backed their own leader, Kemi Badenoch.
A Labour source said: "The Labour Government is getting on with delivering the Plan for Change. We've been clear from the outset that means taking the tough decisions needed to undo 14 years of Tory chaos and decline.
"While the opposition fight among themselves, the Labour Government is putting in the hard yards to deliver much-needed growth, create more jobs, make people better off by putting more money in people’s pockets, rebuild Britain and get our NHS back on its feet."
