Key facts
- 65% of UK voters believe Andy Burnham should call a snap general election upon taking office.
- Only Labour voters expressed a preference for the new leader to govern without a mandate.
- 25% of voters indicated they would be more likely to vote Labour with Burnham as Prime Minister.
- Reform UK currently leads national polls with 29% voter support.
- Burnham is marginally more popular than Nigel Farage and Kemi Badenoch in hypothetical head-to-head contests for Prime Minister.
A significant majority of Britons believe that Andy Burnham should call a general election immediately upon taking over as Prime Minister, according to the latest City AM/Freshwater Strategy poll. Nearly two-thirds of voters (65%) favor an immediate election, contrasting with 29% who think Burnham's successor should govern without a fresh mandate. Labour voters were the sole demographic group supporting the idea of governing without an election.
The poll also revealed that only 25% of voters felt more likely to support Labour with Burnham at the helm, while 49% indicated it would make no difference, and 21% stated they would be less likely to vote for the party. This suggests Burnham may face immediate public pressure as he plans significant reforms to the UK's political structure, including his focus on devolution and increased local council control over utilities and transport.
Despite Burnham enjoying higher favorability ratings than leaders like Ed Davey and Nigel Farage, the upcoming change in Downing Street has had minimal impact on national polling figures. Reform UK continues to lead the polls with 29% support, followed by the Conservatives at 21% and Labour at 20%. In hypothetical head-to-head contests for Prime Minister, Burnham is marginally more popular than Farage and Badenoch. However, potential challenges loom, particularly regarding the Chancellor position, with Wes Streeting being favored by more voters to replace Rachel Reeves than Ed Miliband.