MPs have more confidence in the US-UK “special relationship” than British public, according to Ipsos poll

A new poll from Ipsos in the UK reveals British views on US President Donald Trump’s impending state visit and contrasting attitudes towards the US-UK “special relationship” between MPs and the public.  Research was carried out before the recent news about Lord Mandelson’s role as UK Ambassador to the US (public survey 5-8 September, 2025, MPs survey May-July 2025).

Key findings

• Attitudes towards Trump's upcoming state visit: Almost half (48%) of Britons believe that Donald Trump’s upcoming state visit should go ahead, while 34% believe it should not.  Opposition has slipped 10ppts since March.
• Britons split on anti-Trump protests: One-third of Britons (34%) express support for protests against Donald Trump during his impending state visit, while a quarter (25%) oppose them.
• US influence perceived as more negative than positive: 21% of Britons say that the US mostly uses its influence in the world for good (up 6ppts since April), while a third (33%) say that it uses its influence mostly for bad (down 8ppts).
• Diminished perception of the ‘special relationship’… 36% of Britons agree with the notion that there is currently a ‘special relationship’ between Britain and the United States, a similar percentage to May 2025 (37%). However, while this has improved from the immediate post-tariff low of 30% in April 2025, levels are down from where they were in previous years.  
• Although MPs are more positive: A separate survey of Members of Parliament (MPs) reveals that they are more positive than the general public, with three-quarters (73%) believing that the ‘special relationship’ still exists. Agreement crosses party lines, with 84% of Labour MPs expressing confidence in the relationship as do 73% of their Conservative colleagues.
• MPs rate Starmer and Carney as most impressive world leaders: When asked who is the most impressive world leader, 23% choose Keir Starmer, 19% Mark Carney, 12% Volodymyr Zelenskyy and 11% Emmanual Macron.  This reflects the make-up of the House of Commons, with the majority of MPs (and therefore in the survey) coming from the Labour party:  35% of Labour MPs selected Sir Keir Starmer as the most impressive world leader, with Canadian Premier, Mark Carney (15%) in second place and Zelenskyy (14%) third.
• British public remains sceptical of the US president: 61% of Britons say that they do not like Donald Trump. A similar proportion (62%) say that Britain does not need a leader like him.
• Impact of Trump's presidency on British interests: 43% of Britons believe that President Trump's actions negatively impact British interests (20% say positive), rising to 55% among those aged 55 and over. Those aged 16-34 are split, with 31% each believing that his actions have had a negative and positive impact.
• Assessment of Keir Starmer's diplomatic role: Britons are divided in their evaluation of Prime Minister Keir Starmer's handling of the UK-US relationship (before recent news about Lord Mandelson). 29% say he has done a good job at managing his relationship with President Trump and the US, while 33% think he has done a bad job. 

Commenting on the findings, Tom Fife-Schaw, Managing Director, Corporate Reputation at Ipsos UK, commented: 

These findings reveal a perhaps surprising resilience in parliamentary faith in the Special Relationship, particularly given the political turbulence and the division in public opinion over US President Donald Trump's state visit. The confidence among Labour MPs likely reflects the current government's diplomatic successes in rebuilding bridges with Washington – although that may now be shaken by recent news about Lord Mandelson. Additionally, the fact that one in four MPs overall disagree or are neutral suggests there's still work to be done in demonstrating the tangible benefits of this historic partnership to all corners of Westminster.

Gideon Skinner, Senior Director of UK politics at Ipsos added: 

While MPs are more positive about the special relationship, the British public remains more ambivalent about the role of the US on the world stage, which seems linked to negative attitudes towards Donald Trump, with six in ten Britons saying that they do not want a leader like the US president.  However, views have started to show some recovery since the immediate post-tariff low earlier this year, and despite the lack of enthusiasm for President Trump among Britons, people nevertheless are more likely to think that his state visit should go ahead than be called off – perhaps reflecting an awareness of the importance of US-UK relations.

Technical note: 

• For the survey of the general population, Ipsos Omnibus in the UK interviewed a representative sample of 1,096 adults aged 16-75 across Great Britain. Polling was conducted online between the 5th - 8th September 2025. Data are weighted to match the profile of the population. All polls are subject to a wide range of potential sources of error.
• The survey of MPs was conducted as part of Ipsos's long-running syndicated survey of MPs. Ipsos has been tracking elite opinion for over 40 years, providing crucial insights into the views of decision-makers across business, politics, and civil society. 576 MPs were contacted, and 138 MPs were interviewed. 104 MPs answered the Special Relationship question, and 111 MPs answered the Most Impressive World Leader question. Interviews took place in-person or by telephone between May-July 2025. Data are weighted to be representative of House of Commons composition.