Big YouGov Voter Study 2026: Why have some voters stayed loyal to Labour over Keir Starmer’s premiership?

Alignment on values and willingness to give the benefit of the doubt have kept 41% of Labour’s 2024 coalition loyal, but only 22% have no reservations about the party

While the voters that Labour have lost since the last election have often received the most focus, 41% of those who voted Labour in 2024 have stuck with the party throughout Keir Starmer’s premiership. So, what has kept them with Labour, and how solid is this loyalty?

Perhaps unsurprisingly, for many loyalists, it's as simple as seeing Labour as the best choice. Four in ten (40%) say that Labour being the party closest to their values in one of their top reasons for still supporting the party, while trusting the party to manage the NHS and public services is a key factor for 28% of those sticking with their previous vote.

An additional 14% particularly credit the quality of their local MP or councillor with keeping them in the Labour fold, with the same proportion also explicitly citing a belief that Labour are doing a good job in government as one of the main reasons they would vote for the party again.

However, not all the reasons for remaining loyal are that enthusiastic. One of the top motivations for sticking with the party is a willingness to give them the benefit of the doubt, with 37% saying that while they expected more from the government, they believe they just need more time to deliver.

For around a quarter of loyalists (26%), it’s not a case of loving Labour, but feeling that all the other options are worse, while 28% say one of their top reasons for keeping with the party is merely a tactical view that Labour are best placed to stop Reform UK or the Conservatives.

Keir Starmer’s leadership has been a top attraction for a mere 7% of those who’ve stuck with Labour over his premiership, with similarly low proportions (7-8%) crediting their loyalty to Labour being that they are the only party honest about the issues facing the country, or the only party that stands up for people like them.

Will Labour loyalists stay loyal?

Of course, just because these voters have stayed loyal to Labour so far does not necessarily mean they will stick with the party through to the next election.

Just 41% of Labour loyalists say they have been overall pleased with the performance of the party in office to date, while a sizeable 26% say they’ve been outright disappointed by the government so far. A further 31% say they have been neither pleased nor disappointed.

Indeed, only 22% of Labour loyalists say they have no reservations at all about voting Labour again.

Among the vast majority with at least one reservation about the party, the most common reasons for second thoughts about Labour are a belief they’re not delivering on their promises, that Keir Starmer has been a poor prime minister and that Labour have been too right-wing in office, each a top reservation for 18-19% of Labour loyalists.

Being unsure what Labour stand for today and not liking some of Labour’s policies are both key reservations for 15% of those who’ve so far stuck with the party, while 9% specifically cite being unhappy with Labour’s tax policies.

With so many Labour loyalists having at least some reservations about the party, who else could they turn to if these concerns went unaddressed?

Half of those who’ve so far stuck with Labour (51%) are also willing to consider voting for the Lib Dems at a future election, giving Ed Davey’s party a score of 6 or more out of 10 on a scale from being never willing to definitely being willing to vote for them, while 43% are similarly open to backing the Greens. Only tiny proportions (3-4%) are currently open to being tempted by the Conservatives or Reform UK.

One of the biggest weaknesses for Labour on this front is convincing said voters that the party speaks to their values. Even among those sticking with Labour, just over half (55%) feel Labour are ideologically closer to them than the Greens are, with 22% feeling both parties are equally close to their values and 11% even feeling the Greens are actually more in tune with their beliefs.

There’s much less wavering among loyalists between the two parties when it comes to which one has either the experience to form an effective government or the better chance of winning in their constituency.

Political favourability ratings, among Labour loyalists

Although Keir Starmer’s record as prime minister is one of the most common reservations about Labour among their loyalists, only a quarter (24%) outright have an unfavourable opinion of the outgoing premier, while 72% see him in a positive light.

A similar 70% have a favourable opinion of Andy Burnham, though this includes 27% of loyalists having a *very* favourable opinion of the expected next prime minister, relative to only 16% feeling so of the incumbent. Additionally, a lower 15% have a negative view of the former mayor of Greater Manchester.

Suggestions that the party has retreated into its ‘soft left’ core are somewhat borne out by how loyalists see wider figures on the British left.

Angela Rayner is seen favourably (by 63% to 23%), as is Ed Davey (52% vs 23%). Meanwhile, this group tends to hold unfavourable opinions of Zack Polanski (34% vs 43%) and Jeremy Corbyn (40% vs 53%) on the left, as well as Wes Streeting (31% vs 47%) on the Labour right. They are, though, evenly split 30% to 27% on home secretary Shabana Mahmood.

See the full results here and here

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Photo: Getty