Brits think ex-public schoolboy and City trader Nigel Farage is MORE working class than Keir Starmer… who grew up in a ‘pebble-dash semi’ as the ‘son of a toolmaker’
Brits are more likely to think Nigel Farage is working class than Sir Keir Starmer, a new poll has shown.
The survey by More in Common found voters believe the PM had a more privileged upbringing and speaks less for the working class than the Reform UK leader.
This is despite Mr Farage being the son of a stockbroker who was educated at the prestigious Dulwich College in south London.
The Brexiteer went on to forge a career as a commodities trader in the City of London before entering politics.
By comparison, Sir Keir has spoken of his experience being ‘part of a family trying to make ends meet’ and facing ‘huge challenges’ during his childhood.
The PM’s father was a toolmaker while his mother, a nurse, was seriously ill for most of her life.
Sir Keir grew up with two sisters and a younger brother, Nick, who died last year having dealt with health problems and learning difficulties.
The Labour leader, who attended a grammar school in Surrey, has previously noted the pride his family placed in the ‘pebble-dash semi’ they lived in.
But, despite Sir Keir often emphasising his relatively humble background, the poll showed 37 per cent think he had a more privileged upbringing than Mr Farage.
This compared to 28 per cent who say the Reform leader had a more privileged upbringing than the PM.
Brits are more likely to think Nigel Farage, pictured at Cheltenham Festival earlier this year, is working class than Sir Keir Starmer, a new poll has shown
The survey by More in Common found voters believe the PM had a more privileged upbringing and speaks less for the working class than the Reform UK leader
Mr Farage is the son of a stockbroker who was educated at the prestigious Dulwich College in south London
In another head-to-head between the two party leaders, the survey found that Brits think neither Mr Farage nor Sir Keir represent the working class (35 per cent).
But they were more likely to say that Mr Farage does than Sir Keir (28 per cent versus 20 per cent).
The poll also showed fewer than one in five Brits believe Sir Keir (17 per cent) and Mr Farage (19 per cent) to be working class.
Only 12 per cent see Kemi Badenoch as working class, although they are far more likely to say they are uncertain of whether or not the Tory leader is working class.
The research found, although they are familiar with the PM’s pre-politics legal career, the public is generally unaware of Mr Farage’s past spell in finance.
Only a quarter of the British public know that Mr Farage was a City trader before entering politics, the poll showed.
Most say they don’t know about the Reform leader’s previous career, with one in 20 believing he had no career before entering politics.
By comparison, the public are very familiar with Sir Keir’s professional background, with 59 per cent aware he was a lawyer before his career in politics.
Sir Keir, who attended a grammar school in Surrey, has previously used a Labour Party video to note the ‘huge challenges’ his family faced in their ‘pebble-dash semi’
Most Britons think political leaders’ pre-politics careers make no difference to their ability to represent ordinary people or manage the economy.
But they are more likely to say Mr Farage’s background as a trader makes him more in touch with ordinary people, while Sir Keir’s spell as a lawyer makes him less so.
While many say past careers don’t affect economic competence, 27 per cent think Nr Farage’s experience in finance makes him more credible on the economy.
By contrast, 25 per cent say Sir Keir’s legal background makes them trust him less on economic matters.
Mr Farage made reference to his time working in the City on Monday, when he gave a speech in Aberdeen calling for the windfall tax on oil and gas firms’ profits to be cut.
‘Yes, the oil price is low at this moment in time but after 20 years as a commodity trader these things do move in cycles,’ he said.
‘2025 will be a year of record consumption of fossil fuels, we can con ourselves as much as we like there’ll be more coal burnt this year than has ever been burnt in the history of mankind and the same applies to the use of gas and oil.
‘Even the most ardent proponent of Net Zero has to accept the world will still be using oil and gas up until 2050 and beyond.
‘And yet we’ve decided to sacrifice this industry as a as a consensus around Net Zero has emerged.’
Following a boost after the local elections, the More in Common poll found Mr Farage now has a net approval rating of -7.
This makes him the least unpopular of the main party leaders. Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey is on -9, Mrs Badenoch is on -27, and the PM holds a net approval rating of -35.
Mr Farage has a net approval rating of 0 among men, meaning as many men have a positive as a negative view of him.
This makes him the only politician to break even among either gender. Sir Keir’s approval is the lowest among both genders; -34 among men and -40 among women.
