Keir Starmer's popularity hits lowest-ever score recorded in devastating new poll for PM

Sir Keir Starmer's popularity has plunged to a new low, according to a new poll.

The survey by Opinium found the Prime Minister's net approval rating stands at minus 30, with the pollsters saying: "This is, again, Starmer's lowest ever score by some distance."

The figure is down 17 points from a fortnight ago and 49 points from his first rating as Prime Minister by the polling company.

In comparison, Rishi Sunak's net approval rating stands at minus 25 in the poll of 2,000 British adults carried out from September 25-27.

However, Sir Keir still leads Mr Sunak by nine points on who would make the best PM, although 46% of respondents said neither.

It comes as the Prime Minister has faced a turbulent start to his premiership after Labour's election win in July.

The Government has faced an intense backlash over plans to strip winter fuel payments from millions of pensioners.

Meanwhile, Sir Keir and other senior Labour figures have been at the centre of a freebies row.

The furores over the winter fuel allowance and gifts overshadowed Labour's conference in Liverpool last weekend.

And in the latest blow to the PM, Canterbury MP Rosie Duffield yesterday resigned the Labour whip.

In a scathing letter to Sir Keir, Ms Duffield said: "Someone with far-above-average wealth choosing to keep the Conservatives' two-child limit to benefit payments which entrenches children in poverty, while inexplicably accepting expensive personal gifts of designer suits and glasses costing more than most of those people can grasp - this is entirely undeserving of holding the title of Labour Prime Minister."

The Canterbury MP went on to criticise Sir Keir's management of his party, saying he had "never regularly engaged" with backbench MPs and lacked "basic politics and political instincts".

She added: "The sleaze, nepotism and apparent avarice are off the scale. I am so ashamed of what you and your inner circle have done to tarnish and humiliate our once proud party."