Andy Burnham viewed more positively by voters than Keir Starmer was before becoming prime minister, YouGov poll finds
Brits see Burnham as more competent, likeable and decisive than Starmer
Brits view Andy Burnham more favourably than they viewed Keir Starmer before he entered Downing Street, a new YouGov poll suggests.
The findings come as Burnham prepares for the Makerfield by-election on 18 June, which could see him return to Parliament and challenge Starmer’s leadership.
The poll has revealed that almost half of Brits (43%) see the Manchester mayor and Labour candidate in the Makerfield by-election as competent.
By comparison, 38% of Brits viewed Starmer as competent before he became prime minister. Since then, perceptions of his competence have dropped to 26%, as of May this year.
In addition, 41% of voters see Burnham as likeable, compared with the 31% who said the same of Starmer in June 2024. Now, just 20% of voters see Starmer as likeable.
In terms of decisiveness, 39% of Brits view Burnham as decisive, compared with the just 26% of voters who had the same view of Starmer before the 2024 general election.
However, Brits are split over whether Andy Burnham looks like a prime minister in waiting, with 33% of respondents saying he does, and 33% saying he does not.
Olivia Barber is a reporter at Left Foot Forward
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