Doncaster MP Ed Miliband named most popular member of Cabinet by Labour members
Doncaster MP Ed Miliband has been named as the most popular member of the Cabinet in a survey of Labour members.
The league table by Survation for LabourList put the Doncaster North MP in top spot.
The former party leader and current Energy Security and Net Zero Secretary had a net favourability of +68.6 – putting him ahead of Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner who took second place.
Culture Secretary and former leadership contender Lisa Nandy was distant third with +38.87.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer ranked 17th in the cabinet, with a net favourability of just +13.83 among LabourList readers who said they were party members.
Starmer’s favorability was weakest among 35 to 44-year-olds at just +0.76, but strongest among those slightly older, aged 45 to 54, with a favorability of +24.84.
Some members of the Cabinet actually received a negative favorability rating, meaning more disapproval than approval, including Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall and Chancellor Rachel Reeves.
Reeves received a rating of -11.19, with Kendall on -7.49.
Despite being some bookmakers’ favourite to become the next Labour leader, Health Secretary Wes Streeting ranked below Keir Starmer, with a net favourability of +9.55.
The poll also saw readers rank Labour leaders the party has had over the last 40 years.
Readers ranked Tony Blair as the best Labour leader, followed by John Smith and Gordon Brown. Below Starmer, who placed fourth in the ranking, was Neil Kinnock (fifth), Ed Miliband (sixth) and, in last place, Jeremy Corbyn.
LabourList’s poll also found that almost a third (31.39%) thought a new leader should fight the next general election. However, a majority (52.3%) said that Starmer should remain in post to fight the next election in 2029.
Of those who said a new leader should take over from Keir Starmer, over half (56.65%) opted for Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham, despite him not being an MP.
Angela Rayner was a distant second with 21.87%, followed by Yvette Cooper and Wes Streeting (5.27%) and Lisa Nandy (3.16%).
You can see the full league table and the results of the survey at LabourList, which can be found HERE