| Date | Title | Description |
| 09.07.2026 | Farage Quits Parliament, Ignites UK Political Firestorm Amid Scandal | Nigel Farage, Reform UK's leader, has resigned his parliamentary seat. He faces intense scrutiny over undeclared financial dealings. This move triggers a special election in Clacton. Farage frames it as a "people versus the establishme... |
| 08.07.2026 | Voters expect Burnham to hike taxes | Taxes will rise to even higher levels under Andy Burnham’s government as the likely-incoming Prime Minister ramps up spending on council housing and public services, voters have predicted.
City AM/Freshwater polling has shown that more than... |
| 07.07.2026 | Brits wary of EU summer hols as officials refuse to ease new border checks | The European Union has refused to suspend its divisive new border checks despite admitting that it has found 20 “difficult spots” causing queuing chaos.
The EU has said it will stand by its new Entry/Exit System (EES), a biometric border re... |
| 07.07.2026 | Brits say Burnham should call an election | Sir Keir Starmer is set to leave Downing Street on 20 July and a majority of Brits believe Andy Burnham should call a snap election when he takes over.
Nearly two thirds of voters (65 per cent) believe a new Prime Minister should call an im... |
| 07.07.2026 | Farage quits to stand in ‘people versus establishment’ by-election | Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has announced that he will resign as an MP and stand again as a candidate in an upcoming Clacton by-election as part of what he dubbed a battle of “people versus establishment”.
In a video statement where he re... |
| 09.06.2026 | Starmer’s social media restrictions will mean the government can spy on every phone | In practice, the government is demanding that Apple install on-device AI nudity-detection software at the operating system level for iOS and that Google do the same for Android. This would involve constantly scanning the camera viewfinder, ... |
| 04.06.2026 | Working Brits are struggling to keep up with AI | Britain’s workforce is showing signs of AI fatigue just as politicians and business leaders demand faster adoption of the technology.
New research from Henley Business School found 61 per cent of workers feel overwhelmed by the pace of AI c... |
| 02.06.2026 | Is Zack Polanski’s honeymoon over? | Green Party leader Zack Polanski’s approval ratings have dived as scrutiny over his past experiences has put him in an awkward position.
City AM/Freshwater Strategy polling has shown that Polanski’s approval ratings have dropped from a high... |
| 02.06.2026 | Labour may not agree with Blair, but the public does… | This month’s City AM / Freshwater Strategy Poll reveals that the public is largely on the side of the former Prime Minister rather than Keir Starmer or his potential heirs when it comes to welfare, energy costs and growth, says Matthew Lesh... |
| 01.06.2026 | Brits back Blair’s growth calls – yet are squeamish over welfare cuts | Most Britons back Tony Blair’s demands to prioritise cheaper energy over net zero and support the private sector to boost growth, yet are squeamish over slashing disability payments and reforming the triple lock pension, polling has shown.
... |
| 12.05.2026 | Heathrow, Gatwick revolt over Labour flight cancellation plans | Heathrow and Gatwick have urged the government to climb down from plans to allow airlines to scrap flights without notice – a move which could endanger the summer holidays of millions of Brits.
The leading airports reportedly wrote to the g... |
| 12.05.2026 | Voters – and markets – fear a lurch to the left under new Labour PM | A majority of voters are worried a that change of Labour leadership would drag the government further left, as support grows for lower taxes and less public spending.
The latest City AM/Freshwater Strategy poll of UK voters, conducted after... |
| 12.05.2026 | Local elections were a death knell for two-party politics | An era is distinctively over, but what takes its place, both in terms of who will lead the country and in the direction they will take, is far from clear, says Matthew Lesh
“The old world is dying,” the Italian Marxist Antonio Gramsci said,... |
| 11.05.2026 | Cabinet ministers urge Starmer to set path for succession | Keir Starmer’s Downing Street operation was plunged into a full-blown crisis on Monday, after three cabinet ministers urged him to set a timeline for his resignation despite the robust defence of his premiership he launched in a make-or-bre... |
| 15.04.2026 | Historians won’t care about Starmer’s international diplomacy | When future historians explain why Keir Starmer’s premiership fell apart, they’ll look at domestic issues, not international diplomacy, writes Matthew Lesh
Historians have long chronicled the fall of empires, searching for the telltale sign... |
| 09.03.2026 | UK Political Turmoil: Starmer's Government Besieged by Scandals and Voter Exodus | British politics faces profound upheaval. Keir Starmer's Labour government endures a severe crisis of trust. The Mandelson sleaze scandal fuels public outrage. A majority of voters now demand Starmer's resignation. They perceive widespread ... |
| 04.03.2026 | Voters say Starmer should resign over Mandelson affair | Sir Keir Starmer should resign over his handling of the Peter Mandelson scandal as his apology failed to deal with allegations of sleaze within the Labour Party, the majority of voters believe.
The latest City AM/Freshwater Strategy poll of... |
| 03.03.2026 | Greens close gap with Labour in polls after historic by-election win | The Greens are now biting at the heels of the Labour Party in national polling after its candidate Hannah Spencer stormed to a historic by-election win in Gorton and Denton last week.
The latest City AM/Freshwater Strategy poll puts the Gre... |
| 03.03.2026 | Starmer is being squeezed from all directions | Labour and the Conservatives have lost public trust and are being challenged by insurgents on both the left and the right, new polling shows, says Matthew Lesh
Clowns to the left of me. Jokers to the right. Here’s Keir Starmer – stuck in th... |
| 04.02.2026 | Voters think defections help Reform UK – and harm the Tories | Voters believe that political defections made by the likes of Robert Jenrick and Suella Braverman will help Reform UK in elections – and damage the Conservatives.
The latest City AM/Freshwater Strategy poll of UK voters has found that 44 pe... |
| 04.02.2026 | New Years optimism wears off as economic expectations drop | New Year’s optimism is beginning to fall away with the number of people expecting the economy to improve this year falling at the start of February.
According to the latest City AM/Freshwater Strategy poll of UK voters, the number of people... |
| 03.02.2026 | Tories gain on Reform in polls yet Badenoch struggles for approval | The Conservatives have slightly narrowed Reform UK’s polling lead though Opposition leader Kemi Badenoch suffered a setback with a sharp decrease in approval ratings over the last month.
The Tories now lead Labour by five percentage points ... |
| 15.01.2026 | Starmer in dire straits as British voters pessimistic on almost every issue | Leaders rarely fail because of a single decision. Starmer’s problem is that voters are pessimistic on almost every major measure, writes Matthew Lesh
The start of the year has been dominated by truly ground-shaking global events – from the ... |
| 13.01.2026 | Young people seek to boost savings to offset cost of living squeeze | Young people are seeking to save more money in 2026, as the cost of living crisis focuses minds on careful financial management.
According to the latest City AM polling from Freshwater strategy, over half of Britons are aiming to save money... |
| 12.01.2026 | Nadhim Zahawi defects to Reform as polling lead extended | Former Chancellor Nadhim Zahawi has defected to Reform UK as fresh polling has shown the party extending its lead over Labour and the Tories.
Zahawi, a former ally of Boris Johnson who served as Chancellor for a matter of months, announced ... |
| 12.01.2026 | Calls for hospitality support grow as business rates outcry deepens | Calls for the government to extend its rumoured support package for pubs to the entire hospitality industry grew on Monday, after a string of data releases laid bare the bleak outlook for UK venues amid fresh polling that reveals enormous p... |
| 02.12.2025 | Voters blame Labour for tax hikes amid gloomy outlook | A majority of voters believe that the raft of tax-raising measures unveiled at last week’s Budget prove that Labour has failed to fix the public finances after more than year in office.
Senior Labour officials including Chancellor Rachel Re... |
| 01.12.2025 | Voters’ verdict: Tax hikes breach manifesto and Reeves should resign | Chancellor Rachel Reeves should resign following a decision to extend the freeze on income tax thresholds in a move seen by voters as a breach of Labour’s manifesto, new polling has revealed.
The government is facing intense pressure over t... |
| 20.11.2025 | UK Bonds Plunge as Income Tax Hike Scrapped | UK bonds tumbled after the government ditched plans to raise income tax. Investors reacted negatively to the sudden policy U-turn. This fuels uncertainty about the UK's fiscal strategy. The pound also weakened amid market unease. Experts wa... |
| 14.11.2025 | Rachel Reeves panics markets by ditching plans for income tax hike | Rachel Reeves is understood to have scrapped plans to break Labour’s manifesto and hike income tax in the forthcoming Autumn Budget.
The Chancellor was poised to hike income tax by 2p whilst cutting national insurance by the same amount in ... |
| 11.11.2025 | Starmer’s approval ratings hit record low amid Reform and Green squeeze | Keir Starmer’s approval ratings have hit a fresh low as voters brace for a battering at the Budget.
The latest City AM/Freshwater Strategy poll of UK voters has shown that Keir Starmer’s net approval rating has cratered to -45, the lowest l... |
| 11.11.2025 | Two thirds of Brits want tax-raising Reeves to resign | The latest City AM/Freshwater Strategy poll will make difficult for the Chancellor, says Matthew Lesh
Last week, Chancellor Rachel Reeves played with fire. In what was officially titled a “scene setter” speech ahead of the Budget, she tried... |
| 11.11.2025 | Voters say Rachel Reeves should resign if income taxes are hiked | A majority of voters believe Rachel Reeves should resign as Chancellor if she breaks a key Labour manifesto commitment by raising income tax.
Labour’s 2024 election manifesto said the party would not put up taxes on working people, includin... |
| 08.10.2025 | Badenoch preferred as Prime Minister over Starmer | Kemi Badenoch has been handed a boost ahead of her make-or-break Tory conference speech today as fresh polling has shown the Tory leader is preferred as Prime Minister over Keir Starmer.
The latest City AM/Freshwater Strategy survey has sho... |
| 08.10.2025 | Kemi Badenoch pledges to abolish stamp duty | Tory leader Kemi Badenoch has pledged to abolish stamp duty on primary residences to help support people moving into their first home as she centred her speech on backing people wishing to “get ahead in life”.
In a speech delivered to Conse... |
| 07.10.2025 | FTSE 100 Live: House prices fall; Shell eyes earnings boost; B&M takes hit | Good morning from the City AM liveblog team.
Last week, PM Keir Starmer appeared to leave Labour conference on a high — seeing off threats to his leadership and resetting relations with members. But back in London, things are not quite as r... |
| 07.10.2025 | Brits fear Rachel Reeves’ next Budget will make them worse off | A majority of Britons believe Rachel Reeves’ next Budget will make them worse off while three in four have lost faith in the government’s growth mission, fresh polling reveals.
The Labour government has made growing the UK economy its centr... |
| 07.10.2025 | The great Tory comeback? The public’s gonna need a lot of convincing | A sceptical British public is not willing to listen to Tory promises of credibility after 14 years of government, writes Matthew Lesh
Party conferences are a self-important affair for the government and His Majesty’s Official Opposition. Th... |
| 06.10.2025 | Reform in poll surge as Starmer’s approval rating remains worst in UK | Reform UK has extended its lead over Labour in the polls as Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s approval ratings remained the worst of any top British political figure despite rallying calls for voters to back the government in defeating Nigel Fa... |
| 29.09.2025 | Labour to grant settled status only to working migrants | The UK government will only grant settled status rights to working migrants under radical plans drawn up by Labour’s Shabana Mahmood.
In a speech at the Labour Party Conference in Liverpool, Mahmood will tell an audience of activists that t... |
| 15.09.2025 | Keir Starmer ‘has until May’ as polling sends warning shot | Keir Starmer has been told he has until next May’s local elections to turn fortunes around as polling has sent the prime minister an ominous warning about his future.
The Prime Minister is facing intense pressure from Labour MPs after new q... |
| 09.09.2025 | Starmer’s new team faces same old problem | Good news from Downing Street as we’re told that economic growth is back on the agenda.
Keir Starmer’s revamped cabinet meets for the first time today and the prime minister will apparently tell this bright new team to “step up a gear” and ... |
| 02.09.2025 | Starmer seeks to relaunch as approval rating hits fresh low | Keir Starmer has launched a dramatic shakeup of his Downing Street team as he hails the “second phase” of his government amid dire poll ratings and a sluggish economy. The Prime Minister has beefed up Number Ten’s economic muscle, bringing ... |
| 02.09.2025 | Reform is gathering in Birmingham this week – with plenty to celebrate | Amidst widespread economic pessimism and the rising salience of immigration, Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s Labour government faces a collapse in public support as polls show Nigel Farage’s Reform UK surging to a commanding lead, writes Matt... |
| 02.09.2025 | Keir Starmer’s approval rating sinks to record low | Keir Starmer’s approval ratings have hit a record low, a City AM/Freshwater Strategy poll has shown, as pressure mounts on the government ahead of the Budget.
Research by City AM and the advisory firm Freshwater Strategy has highlighted the... |
| 05.08.2025 | Ouch! Starmer and Reeves now less popular than Donald Trump | Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves are now less popular than Donald Trump in the eyes of British voters.
According to the latest City AM/Freshwater survey, Donald Trump and his on-off acolyte Elon Musk are ferociously unpopular with the average... |
| 05.08.2025 | Migrant returns deal to begin ‘within days’ | The UK’s migrant returns deal with France is set to begin “within days”, the government has said, as Home Office officials brace to defend the pact against any legal challenges after “learning from the errors” of the previous government’s R... |
| 05.08.2025 | Immigration is top voter concern, exclusive poll says | Reducing immigration became more important to voters in July, polling has shown, amid social instability over anti-migrant protests and more calls from top UK economists for a greater focus on getting Brits into the labour market before hir... |
| 05.08.2025 | Voters say Nigel Farage’s Reform is the ‘party of UK business’ | Reform UK is now seen as the most pro-business party in Westminster, fresh polling produced for City AM has found, in one of the first major signs the public is warming to Nigel Farage’s economic policies.
Political parties have long battle... |
| 05.08.2025 | Gloomy Brits now think Reform is the party of business | Almost three quarters of voters (72 per cent) say that they are not confident in the government’s plan to achieve economic growth, and a majority (53 per cent) believe things are set to get worse for the UK economy over the next 12 months, ... |
| 22.07.2025 | UK government to sanction companies driving illegal migration | The UK government is set to introduce a new sanctions regime targeting people smuggling gangs and rogue companies driving illegal migration as part of efforts to curb small boat crossings and stop modern slavery in the UK.
In new reforms un... |
| 09.07.2025 | Reform top the polls but voters cool on Nigel Farage | Reform UK continues to ride high in the opinion polls – climbing 16 points since last year’s election – yet voters appeared to have cooled on Nigel Farage as new City AM polling suggests he’s lost some of his shine.
A post-government slump ... |
| 08.07.2025 | Brits back spending cuts over tax rises | Voters prefer spending cuts over tax rises, fresh polling has found, putting Chancellor Rachel Reeves at odds with an electorate that has become frustrated with her economic policies.
Rachel Reeves set spending pledges in stone in June when... |
| 07.07.2025 | Brits pour scorn on Labour after week from hell | Brits have delivered a withering verdict on Labour after a week in which the anniversary of their election victory was marred by shambolic u-turns and infighting.
Following the dramatic events of last week, voters’ disapproval of the govern... |
| 11.06.2025 | The Complexity of Change: Navigating the UK’s Tax System and Economic Growth | The UK is at a crossroads. Recent government decisions have sparked debates about fairness, complexity, and economic growth. The latest changes to winter fuel payments for pensioners have raised eyebrows. Meanwhile, public confidence in the... |
| 10.06.2025 | Reform and Conservative supporters are open to an alliance, City AM poll finds | Over half of Reform and Conservative voters support a merger or deal between the two parties, fresh polling by Freshwater Strategy and City AM has found, as Tory leader Kemi Badenoch wrestles to contain the surge in support for her upstart ... |
| 10.06.2025 | Fresh blow for Rachel Reeves as voters scorn growth plans | A dwindling number of Brits have confidence that the government can deliver on its plans for economic growth, fresh polling has found, laying bare the scale of Rachel Reeves’ challenge to restore voter trust as she prepares to unveil the Sp... |
| 10.06.2025 | Voters reject Reeves’ plans for state power on pension investments | A majority of British voters oppose the government having powers to dictate pension fund investments, fresh polling has revealed, in a blow to Rachel Reeves’ attempts to use pension pot funds to boost growth.
Three in five voters disagree w... |
| 09.06.2025 | Voters fear Reeves tax U-turn after Spending Review splash out | UK voters are worried Chancellor Rachel Reeves will betray Labour manifesto pledges not to hike income tax, a new poll has suggested, as the government looks set to ramp up investment at Wednesday’s spending review.
Sir Keir Starmer has dec... |
| 16.05.2025 | Reform UK’s fiscal plans could spark ‘Sterling crisis’, economist warns | Reform UK deputy leader Richard Tice has hinted at ambitions to become chancellor if his party wins the next general election. What does this mean for the UK’s finances?
Simon French, an economist at Panmure Liberum who has advised the gove... |
| 14.05.2025 | The Rise of Reform UK: A Political Tsunami? | In the ever-shifting landscape of British politics, Reform UK is making waves. Recent polling data reveals a seismic shift in voter sentiment. The party, led by Nigel Farage, has surged ahead of Labour, capturing the top spot in the latest ... |
| 14.05.2025 | The Shifting Sands of British Politics and Agriculture | The political landscape in the UK is shifting like sand underfoot. Recent polls show Reform UK, led by Nigel Farage, gaining traction. Meanwhile, farmers are grappling with the fallout from a new trade deal with the United States. Both scen... |
| 13.05.2025 | Reform UK tops latest City AM poll as Nigel Farage’s approval ratings climb | Nigel Farage’s approval ratings have climbed since his party’s success in the local elections, while Reform UK has surged ahead of Labour to top the latest Freshwater Strategy/City AM poll of UK voters.
Since last month’s survey, Keir Starm... |
| 13.05.2025 | Reform is rising rapidly, but voter frustration can only carry Farage so far | Reform UK has become a seismic force in British politics. For a party that barely existed a few years ago, they have managed to win over 650 council seats, take control of 10 councils, win mayoral elections and, to top it all off, the Runco... |
| 19.04.2025 | Let’s be honest, the ever-rising minimum wage is hurting employment | Rising from £3.60 to £12.21 in just 26 years, the ever-rising national minimum wage isn’t actually helping workers, writes Matthew Lesh
At first glance, this week’s Office for National Statistics labour market data appears unremarkable. Une... |
| 08.04.2025 | The Tariff Tangle: UK at a Crossroads | The world of trade is a chessboard, and the UK finds itself in a precarious position. With the recent tariffs imposed by the Trump administration, the stakes have never been higher. The chief investment officer of Amundi, a leading asset ma... |
| 08.04.2025 | Brits are bracing for the worst as Trump’s tariffs bite | Trump’s tariffs are having a seismic impact on British politics, the economy and even the national mood, the latest City AM/Freshwater Strategy poll shows, writes Matthew Lesh
Last month’s City Am / Freshwater Strategy poll revealed some gr... |
| 07.04.2025 | Seven in 10 UK voters worried about impact of Trump‘s tariffs, polling finds | Seven in 10 UK voters are worried about the impact of US President Donald Trump’s tariffs on the British economy, a new poll has revealed.
Some 69 per cent of those surveyed say they are very or somewhat worried about Trump’s new global imp... |
| 07.04.2025 | More Brits ‘in financial strain’ as Trump frightens UK voters | Nearly two in five UK voters are either cutting their spending or are unable to pay essential bills due to ‘financial strain’, according to the latest City AM/Freshwater Strategy poll, as President Trump’s tariffs are set to send Chancellor... |
| 07.04.2025 | Rachel Reeves approval rating one point above Trump with UK voters, poll finds | Rachel Reeves’ approval ratings have slumped since March leaving her just one point more popular than US President Donald Trump with UK voters, a poll has found.
The Chancellor’s net approval ratings have declined by 12 points since deliver... |
| 07.04.2025 | Voters’ economic gloom worsens as tariff fears bite | UK voters are increasingly downbeat about the economy as President Trump’s tariff announcements have further dampened Brits’ confidence, according to the latest City AM/Freshwater Strategy poll.
The global economy is still reeling from the ... |
