|  Updated: 

Poll bounce for Labour following Starmer ‘glitter bomb’ at party conference

By:

Political Reporter

Add as a preferred source on Google
Labour have seen a bounce in their poll ratings following leader Sir Keir Starmer being sprinkled with glitter during a stage invasion at their party conference. Photo: PA
Labour have seen a bounce in their poll ratings following leader Sir Keir Starmer being sprinkled with glitter during a stage invasion at their party conference. Photo: PA

Labour have seen a bounce in their poll ratings following leader Sir Keir Starmer being sprinkled with glitter during a stage invasion at their party conference.

The party’s lead has risen by two points to a 16-point lead over the Conservatives, a rise on their 14-point lead last week, according to a survey by Opinium.

While Starmer has secured a nine-point increase in his net approval ratings, with 38 per cent of voters saying he looks like a prime minister in waiting, up from 30 per cent last week.

Researchers found that 62 per cent of people surveyed had heard about the Labour leader being doused in glitter by a protester, while just 49 per cent had heard about his speech.

It comes amid a news agenda dominated by horror in Israel and Gaza, and follows a Tory conference which failed to result in a poll boost for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.

James Crouch, head of policy and public affairs at Opinium said: “Conference season has ended with a return to solid double-digit leads for Labour. 

“But it has been an especially good week for the Labour leader himself.”

He added: “It appears the ‘glitter bomb’ protest and his reaction helped to boost his ratings and enable his speech to cut through when the news focus has shifted to the Middle East.”

Opinium pollsters also found that Labour’s projected vote share also rose by two points to 44 per cent, with the Conservatives on 28 per cent, and the Liberal Democrats on 10 per cent.

The Greens and Reform UK both remained on six per cent and the SNP on three per cent.

Half of UK voters – 50 per cent – also think Labour are prepared to govern if they win the next election, in comparison to 39 per cent who think the Conservatives are prepared to govern. 

Opinium carried out an online survey of 2,946 UK adults aged over 18 from October 11 to 13, with the results weighted to be politically and nationally representative.

Labour and the Conservatives were both approached for comment but said they do not comment on polling.