Polls cast doubt on Labour’s handling of riots in Britain
With far-right protests planned for Wednesday and thousands of riot police deployed across Britain to deal with the threat of riots, a survey on the British public’s views on the riots and the response from Prime Minister Keir Starmer and his government shows widespread disdain for their handling of the situation.
Published by YouGov, the survey shows that the British public overwhelmingly condemns the riots and holds mixed views on the broader protests. However, Labour under Starmer faces significant criticism for its handling of the crisis.
The survey reveals that the vast majority of Britons oppose the riots. An overwhelming 85pc of respondents denounce the violent unrest, with 7pc expressing support.
Even the broader peaceful protests only garner support from one-third of the population (34pc), while over half (54pc) are against them. This opposition is widespread across all voter groups, with even Reform UK voters, the most supportive group, showing only 21pc approval for the riots.
Only 8pc of Britons resonate with the rioters’ views. Moreover, the public firmly believes that the rioters do not represent the majority, with 76pc asserting they do not reflect the views of most Britons.
Keir Starmer’s characterisation of the rioters as “far-right thugs” has sparked debate. However, a significant portion of the public agrees with this description.
Two-thirds (67pc) find the term ‘thugs’ appropriate, and 52pc support labeling them as ‘far-right’. Yet, the public remains divided on whether the rioters should be considered ‘terrorists’, with only 23pc endorsing this label.
The survey also indicates dissatisfaction with Labour’s management of the crisis. Only 31pc believe that Keir Starmer is handling the riots well, whereas nearly half (49pc) think he is doing poorly.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper fares similarly, with 23pc approving her handling of the situation against 43pc who disapprove. Labour and Lib Dem voters tend to have a positive view of how well Starmer and Cooper are handling the crisis, while Conservative and Reform UK voters are generally critical.