Public approves response to riots but Starmer’s appeal fades, new poll shows

Voters have given broad approval to the government’s handling of the social unrest that broke out this summer, including its pursuit of those inciting racial hatred and violence online, according to the latest Opinium poll for the Observer .

However, the significant boost Keir Starmer enjoyed in his personal approval ratings immediately after his election win has dissipated, falling back to the levels he recorded during the election campaign.

Across a series of measures, most voters thought that the government’s response to the rioting was either proportionate or not strong enough. Overall, 43% of voters approve of the government’s handling of the riots, while 30% disapprove.

In terms of the severity of the response, 44% think the government has reacted proportionately to the outbreaks of violence and unrest and 26% think it didn’t go far enough. Only 18% believed ministers had overreacted. There was a similar view on the sentences handed out, with some 70% thinking they were either about right or not harsh enough.

While Elon Musk, the billionaire owner of X, has been criticising the UK’s approach to arresting those found to have been inciting online , the public appear to disagree. Musk has described Stephen Parkinson, the director of public prosecutions in England and Wales, as being part of “The Woke Stasi”. However, 67% of voters said it was fair that people had been arrested for inciting racial hatred on social media, with 15% disagreeing.

An almost identical proportion – 68% – backed the arrest of those inciting violence on social media. Immigration returns as a key issue in the early days of government, on a par with the economy in terms of top issues for voters, but behind health and the NHS. However, voters appear to separate out their dim view of the rioters from their views on immigration. Two-thirds of voters believe it is too high.

“The idea that condemning rioters was somehow saying concerns about the level of immigration were illegitimate was always a lie and the results in our poll show this quite clearly,” said Adam Drummond, head of political and social at Opinium. “Strong majorities agree with Keir Starmer’s description of the rioters as ‘thugs’, think that the prison sentences being handed out are appropriate or don’t go far enough, and think it’s fair to arrest people for inciting racial hatred on social media.

Related: ‘We’re too frightened to talk about immigration,’ warns top Labour party veteran

“Although the government has cause to be concerned about how voters view the state of the economy, public services and immigration levels, a strong response to public disorder is not something they find controversial.”

As Starmer approaches the end of his first 50 days in office, the public is split over his government’s performance. About a quarter (24%) feel more positive about Labour since it won the election, while 29% feel more negative. Labour has lost some ground on the economy, where its lead is down to four points, and health, where its lead is down three points since the election.

Starmer’s personal ratings, which spiked after his election win, have fallen back to their negative pre-election levels. His net approval rating is -7%, down 10 points from the beginning of August and down 26 points from his first approval rating as prime minister. Rishi Sunak’s approval rating has remained at -30%.

Public sector pay rises were seen as the biggest net win for the new government, with 19% saying they thought Starmer handled this best of the early issues he has faced. Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ cutting of public spending was seen as the biggest negative.

The latest poll findings also pose a challenge for Reform UK about how they approach the issue of social unrest and the role of the far right. Reform voters are evenly split on Tommy Robinson, the far-right activist who spread the idea of “two-tier” policing of the riots. Twenty-nine percent of Reform voters approve of Robinson, while the same proportion disapprove.