David Frost is Britain’s most popular political figure this summer, according to YouGov Ratings — a 40% positive-opinion score, ahead of John Major (36%) and Nigel Farage (32%). Keir Starmer, the sitting Prime Minister, does not appear in the top 20 at all.
This snapshot reflects data as of 9 July 2026. For continuously updated rankings, see the live Politician Ranking tracker.
What This Ranking Measures
YouGov Ratings continuously surveys the British public on public figures, including politicians. Each score is the share of respondents who report a positive opinion of the person — counted only among people who recognise them in the first place. It measures personal likeability, not satisfaction with their handling of the job.
The Complete Summer 2026 Ranking
All 20 politicians and political figures tracked by YouGov Ratings this summer, ranked by positive-opinion score:
| Rank | Politician | Party | Popularity |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | David Frost | Conservative | 40% |
| 2 | John Major | Conservative | 36% |
| 3 | Nigel Farage | Reform UK | 32% |
| 4 | Laura Trott | Conservative | 31% |
| 5 | Rishi Sunak | Conservative | 27% |
| 6 | Kemi Badenoch | Conservative | 26% |
| 7 | Sadiq Khan | Labour | 26% |
| 8 | Andy Burnham | Labour | 25% |
| 9 | Ed Davey | Lib Dems | 23% |
| 10 | Ed Miliband | Labour | 22% |
| 11 | Jeremy Corbyn | Independent | 22% |
| 12 | Penny Mordaunt | Conservative | 22% |
| 13 | Iain Duncan Smith | Conservative | 22% |
| 14 | Kenneth Clarke | Conservative | 22% |
| 15 | David Blunkett | Labour | 22% |
| 16 | Lindsay Hoyle | Speaker | 21% |
| 17 | Shabana Mahmood | Labour | 20% |
| 18 | Liam Fox | Conservative | 20% |
| 19 | Wes Streeting | Labour | 20% |
| 20 | Neil Kinnock | Labour | 20% |
Source: YouGov Ratings · July 2026 · as of 9 July 2026.
Reading the Summer 2026 List
The top of the table is dominated by figures no longer at the sharp end of day-to-day government: David Frost sits in the Lords rather than the Commons, and John Major left Downing Street decades ago. Nigel Farage, in third, is the highest-placed figure in active front-line politics. Notably, neither Keir Starmer nor any current Cabinet minister cracks the top 20 — the list is instead populated by opposition figures, backbenchers, a Speaker, and several politicians well past their front-bench years (Major, Duncan Smith, Clarke, Blunkett, Kinnock).
Labour figures cluster in the low-to-mid 20s despite the party holding government, while several Conservative figures — including two former Prime Ministers by proxy in spirit (Major) and long-serving backbenchers — occupy the upper half of the table. Scores across the board are low in absolute terms: even the most popular figure, Frost, sits at 40%, well short of a majority-positive rating.
Outlook: What Could Shift by Autumn
YouGov Ratings updates continuously, so this order can move by autumn 2026 — a reshuffle, a party conference moment, or renewed media attention on any one figure could reshuffle the list. This article is deliberately frozen as a summer 2026 snapshot and will not be revised. For the current, continuously updated ranking with historical trend charts, see the live Politician Ranking tracker.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the most popular politician in the UK in summer 2026?
David Frost, with a 40% positive-opinion score in YouGov Ratings, ahead of John Major (36%) and Nigel Farage (32%).
Where does Keir Starmer rank?
Starmer does not appear in the YouGov Ratings top 20 in this summer 2026 snapshot.
Is this a live tracker or a fixed snapshot?
This article is a fixed summer 2026 snapshot that will not be updated. See the live tracker for current data.