Exclusive:Sir Keir Starmer speech: rural and coastal voters want greater focus on immigration, YouGov finds
Sir Keir Starmer risks “being rejected by rural Britain” unless he can rebuild trust on immigration and the cost of living crisis starting with today’s conference speech, new polling has shown.
The Prime Minister will address the Labour Party Conference in Liverpool today, under pressure from both Reform UK and the Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham.
Setting out his stall for the next election, Sir Keir is expected to say: “We can all see our country faces a choice, a defining choice. Britain stands at a fork in the road. We can choose decency.
“Or we can choose division. Renewal or decline. A country - proud of its values, in control of its future or one that succumbs, against the grain of our history, to the politics of grievance.”
However, polling of coastal and rural voters from YouGov for the Labour-linked Fabian Society, shared exclusively with The Yorkshire Post, has found they now narrowly prefer Nigel Farage as Prime Minister instead of Sir Keir.
In rural areas of Britain, like North Yorkshire, 38 per cent of respondents want Mr Farage to become Prime Minister compared with 37 per cent for Mr Farage.
While in seaside towns, the Reform UK leader is favoured 40 per cent to 36 per cent.
This is in sharp contrast to neighbours in cities, who significantly favour the Labour leader.
The polling also found that in both rural and coastal areas the most important issue for voters has become immigration and the asylum system.
Mr Farage has recently announced hardline policies of mass deportations, including some people living legally in the UK under indefinite leave to remain.
Yesterday, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood set out a series of conditions for those seeking indefinite leave to remain status.
They included having to learn English to a high standard, having a clean criminal record and volunteering in their community.
The proposed changes would also require asylum seekers to be in work, paying national insurance and not be claiming benefits.
Ben Cooper, research manager at the Fabian Society, said: “Just over a year ago, Labour secured an astonishing victory in rural Britain.
“They won a significant number of seats in places that hadn’t put their trust in Labour for decades.
“Much has changed since the July 2024 election. Right now, the government risks being rejected by rural Britain.
“However, the election is nearly four years away. Labour can turn things around by delivering for rural Britain.
“The Prime Minister’s speech is an opportunity to do that. By focusing on the cost of living, immigration and other priorities, trust in Labour can be rebuilt across the countryside.”
Sir Keir will need to convince the electorate of his successes, with the poll showing that rural and coastal voters are not giving the Prime Minister credit for much.
For both areas, creating an extra five million NHS appointments was Labour’s top success story in just over a year in power.
In her conference speech yesterday, Chancellor Rachel Reeves attempted to underline the difference between the Government and its successors, repeating: “Never let anyone tell you that there’s no difference between a Labour government and a Conservative government.”
Appealing to the seawall and former industrial heartlands, Ms Reeves announced that steel and shipbuilding would be designated nationally critical infrastructure.