Cabinet Minister Approval Ratings 2026
Net approval scores for Labour cabinet ministers. All six tracked ministers are in negative territory as of May 2026.
Cabinet Net Approval Ratings
All NegativeNet approval = % approve minus % disapprove. Source: YouGov / Ipsos composite, May 2026.
Source: YouGov / Ipsos polling composite, May 2026.
Full Cabinet Approval Table
May 2026| Minister | Role | Approve | Disapprove | Net | Key issue trust |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Keir Starmer | Prime Minister | 28% | 63% | −35 | Security, rule of law |
| Rachel Reeves | Chancellor of the Exchequer | 26% | 54% | −28 | Economic stability, investment |
| Yvette Cooper | Home Secretary | 28% | 46% | −18 | Crime reduction, counter-terrorism |
| Wes Streeting | Health Secretary | 30% | 42% | −12 | NHS reform, waiting lists |
| Pat McFadden | Cabinet Office Minister | 29% | 34% | −5 | Government efficiency, AI strategy |
| David Lammy | Foreign Secretary | 27% | 35% | −8 | UK-EU relations, foreign policy |
Issue Trust: Which Ministers Do Voters Trust?
% of voters who trust each minister to handle their portfolio well. Source: Ipsos Issues Index, April 2026.
Keir Starmer — Prime Minister
Rachel Reeves — Chancellor
Wes Streeting — Health Secretary
Analysis: Why Are All Ministers Underwater?
All tracked cabinet ministers hold negative net approval ratings as of May 2026 — a reflection of broader dissatisfaction with the Labour government rather than individual performance failures. The steepest declines came in the aftermath of the October 2024 Budget, which introduced the employer National Insurance rise and abolished the Winter Fuel Payment for most pensioners.
Rachel Reeves bore the brunt of Budget backlash, with her net approval dropping from −4% in July 2024 to −28% by December 2024. Keir Starmer suffered a prolonged decline attributable to the broader dissatisfaction with government direction, compounded by controversies over ministerial gifts and perceived u-turns on policy.
Pat McFadden remains the least negatively rated minister (−5%), partly due to lower public profile. Wes Streeting (−12%) maintains relatively higher trust on NHS issues despite the waiting list challenge, with 38% rating him a good communicator — the highest communication score among tracked cabinet members.
David Lammy (−8%) has seen modest improvement following progress on UK-EU negotiations, though his ratings remain constrained by the government overall position.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most popular cabinet minister?
Pat McFadden has the least negative net rating at −5%, making him the most positively regarded tracked minister. This is largely due to his lower public profile in the Cabinet Office role, meaning fewer voters have formed strong negative views of him.
Why is Rachel Reeves approval so low?
Reeves net approval of −28% is directly linked to the October 2024 Budget. She was Chancellor when the Winter Fuel Payment was removed for most pensioners and employer National Insurance was raised. Both measures attracted significant public backlash. Prior to the Budget, her approval was only marginally negative at −4%.
How is Wes Streeting rated on NHS issues specifically?
Streeting performs relatively better on NHS-specific metrics than his overall approval suggests. 38% rate him a good communicator — the highest score of any tracked minister on any attribute. 31% say he handles NHS reform well. However, only 27% believe he will actually cut waiting times, reflecting scepticism about delivery.