‘The Devil You Know’: Should the British Left Finally Abandon Labour?

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Starmer’s premiership has been characterised by blunders, embarrassments, and outright failures. Internal party divisions, insufficient action to address the cost-of-living and immigration crises, and an overall rightward drift have dominated the headlines. Most recently, the scandal surrounding Starmer’s appointment of Peter Mandelson as US ambassador, despite his friendship with the known sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, has led to calls for Starmer’s resignation. 

These failures are reflected in public support for the PM and his party more broadly. YouGov data shows Labour voting intention currently sitting at 17%, down from 39% prior to the 2024 General Election. Furthermore, 73% of Britons believe Starmer is doing badly as Prime Minister, and 43% believe that he should stand down and be replaced as Labour leader and Prime Minister. In an increasingly turbulent political landscape, is the British Left backing the wrong horse? 

Who are the other contenders for the support of the British Left?

On a national scale, both the Greens and the Liberal Democrats have seen some electoral success. In the 2024 general election, the Lib Dems won 72 seats, becoming the third largest party in the House of Commons. Despite securing only 4 seats in the election, the Greens’ popularity has skyrocketed under Zack Polanski’s leadership, with party membership tripling between September 2025 and March 2026. Their dominance has grown specifically among young people, as they are now the most popular party amongst under-30s. 

Both the Greens and the Lib Dems have already seen an influx of support from former Labour voters, indicating the broad ideological alignment between them. According to YouGov data, 15% of Labour voters in the 2024 general election would now vote for the Greens, and 9% would now back the Lib Dems. Both parties have a level of legitimacy and support that could establish them as leaders of the Left. But how do they differ from Labour, and are they any more worthy of support? 

According to ONS data from June 2025, the economy and cost-of-living crisis are priorities for voters. The Labour Party has failed to tackle these issues, with GDP growth at 0% in January and UK unemployment rising to its highest level in five years in recent months, but the Greens and the Lib Dems have their own ideas to address them.

According to the Green Party Manifesto, the party is committed to public ownership of public services, investment in skills and training, and increased taxation of the wealthy. The Lib Dems also claim that they would make tax changes to encourage economic progress, but would refuse to raise income tax, national insurance contributions or VAT. Both parties emphasise the importance of limiting the impact of economic troubles on Britons, contrary to Labour’s turbulent approach, characterised by frozen income tax thresholds and confusing public U-turns on income tax increases.

Also important to British voters is immigration. While Labour's contribution-based approach implies that immigrants will have to earn their place in the UK, the Greens have prioritised humanitarian objectives, and the Liberal Democrats have argued that joint operations and return agreements with international actors would safely and meaningfully reduce asylum claims. 

Both the Green Party and the Liberal Democrats offer progressive policy proposals that align with a left-leaning voter base and challenge those of the Labour Party. Their growing support nationally suggests that either party could be a viable alternative to lead the Left. But in today’s political climate, is abandoning Labour the best strategic move for the British Left? 

Countering the far-right threat

According to Find Out Now, 28% of respondents would vote for Reform UK if an election were called tomorrow, while 18% would vote Green, 16% Labour, and 10% Liberal Democrat. YouGov data finds that, in a constituency contest between Labour and Reform UK, voters would back Labour by 35% to 31%. The Left cannot afford to be split when facing the far-right challenge, despite the shortfalls of the Labour government and the prospects of the Greens and the Liberal Democrats.

Nevertheless, it’s vital that the Left continues to exert pressure on Labour, pushing Starmer and his government to reverse their rightward drift in policy-making and rhetoric. The significance of the far-right threat will require the Left to vote tactically, but this cannot mean that Labour can abandon its liberal values without challenge.