Study reveals Farage perceived as more working-class than Starmer, according to poll
Shakeup in Perception: Nigel Farage and Keir Starmer's Working-Class Reputation
New surveys by More in Common and YouGov are shedding light on the public's perception of Nigel Farage and Keir Starmer's working-class credentials. Let's dive into the details.
The Working-Class Vote: Farage vs. Starmer
According to More in Common polling, a slightly larger percentage (19%) of respondents view Nigel Farage as part of the working class, compared to Keir Starmer (17%). But, it's essential to note that both leaders are not widely seen as genuinely working class [1][3].
This perception translates into voter support, as shown by YouGov polls. Now, 39% of working-class voters would back Reform UK, compared to 17% who would vote for Labour [3]. This suggests that Farage's party is gaining ground among working-class voters.
The Class Division: Party Allegiance and Political Strategies
Despite the common belief that Farage is an unusual choice for a working-class representative, given his upbringing as the son of a stockbroker and his elite private school education [2], he is seen as more representative of working-class issues. In contrast, some perceive Starmer's legal background as undermining his economic credibility [3]. It's intriguing to note that awareness of Farage's trading career ranks lower than that of Starmer's legal background [3].
To win the working-class vote, Reform UK has Positioned itself as the "true party of the working class," focusing on policies such as tax cuts and welfare reforms. On the other hand, Starmer emphasizes his personal connections to working-class life through his upbringing and his father's work experience [2][3].
Politics has historically been a challenging field to break into without an elite private school education. In the 1920s and 1990s, only Ramsay MacDonald and John Major, respectively, were perceived as "authentically" working class [1].
Gender Factor: Approval Ratings and Public Support
Interestingly, Farage is the only politician with a net approval rating of zero among men, with an equal number of positive and negative ratings. Compared to this, Starmer's approval ratings are at -34 for men and -40 for women [3].
Several factors could be at play here, such as Farage's branding as a party for the people, as seen with the launch of the "Reform UK pub" in Blackpool earlier this year [3].
In the context of political perceptions, Nigel Farage's party, Reform UK, is gaining support among working-class voters, as indicated by YouGov polls, with 39% of this demographic planning to vote for it, whereas Labour lags behind with 17% [3]. Conversely, discussions around policy-and-legislation and general-news highlight that while some deem Farage as more representative of working-class issues, Starmer's legal background has raised questions about his economic credibility [3]. This difference in perceptions could largely impact the upcoming elections.
