Politics

Concern about defence has doubled since last month to 24%, making it the joint third-biggest issue for the country.

When asked to choose between the Labour Party led by Keir Starmer and Reform UK led by Nigel Farage, 39% of Britons prefer Labour, while 35% prefer Reform UK.

New research conducted in partnership with the FT finds widespread dissatisfaction with the UK governing system as well as the people who are in it. But still politicians are second in the list of professions who are considered to have the skills and qualities required to be a UK Prime Minister, behind business leaders.

Half (49%) of Britons rate the Labour government’s performance in 2025 as poor, with six in ten (63%) expressing disappointment about what it has done since the election.

Almost half of Britons (47%) think Starmer is doing a bad job managing the relationship with the US – up 14 ppts since September 2025.

27% feel optimistic about 2026 being a better year than the one just gone, while 31% believe it will be worse than 2025.

Britons’ top four issues facing the country have remained the same since August: immigration first, followed by the economy, the NHS, and inflation.

The proportion of those opposing the strikes has grown to 49%, the highest proportion Ipsos has recorded to date.

For the second year running US President Donald Trump is at the top of the naughty list.