As reported by the Telegraph, a recent poll has found voters would prefer Your Party co-founder Jeremy Corbyn as chancellor over Rachel Reeves. Merlin Strategy also asked how other well-known politicians might perform in her stead.
Reeves received a measly net score of minus 24, with 51% of people unhappy with her performance running the economy. Only 27% of those polled actually believe she is doing a good job.
The public would rather have Jeremy Corbyn as Chancellor than Rachel Reeves, a poll has found
Read the more detailed explanations below
https://t.co/BK94YVP9d0 pic.twitter.com/u0psgdyqfq
— Telegraph Politics (@TelePolitics) January 4, 2026
This poor rating follows Reeves’ budget in November, in which taxes were raised by £30bn. Given the previous budget increased the tax burden by £40bn, critics have pointed out that we now have the highest recorded tax burden ever seen. Our own Alex/Rose Cocker wrote about the Labour government’s choices in where they plan to find money, and who they let off scot-free.
Who could do a better job?
When the poll asked the public who they’d prefer as Chancellor, the resulting answers exposed just how unhappy the public are with our current government.
Gordon Brown was the most popular choice, receiving a net score of +6%, with 35% saying he would do a good job if he returned as Chancellor. Just 29% of those polled thought he would do a bad job.
The result that will leave a sour taste in Reeves’ mouth is how the public feel about Jeremy Corbyn. With a net score of -4%, 28% of the public would be happy with Corbyn taking the seat of Chancellor, while only 32% feel he would do a poor job.
Next to Reeves’ -24% approval rating, these results contest the right-wing assertion that Corbyn is ‘unelectable’ in comparison to the haircut Labourites. Or, at the very least, it suggests he is significantly more electable than Reeves in the eyes of the public.
https://t.co/cy1gRqexId pic.twitter.com/ahy00mwjqZ
— Dli O’Doir (@dli_odoir) January 5, 2026
Even Rishi Sunak received an approval rating of net zero percent. Given the abysmal failure of previous Conservative governments, the fact that even Tories score higher should prompt the current government to course correct.
This X user points out:
Without being derogatory about @jeremycorbyn I think a poll would find the public would prefer a random number generator as Chancellor than @RachelReevesMP If @trussliz was a lettuce, what is RR, sauerkraut? https://t.co/YyRqGmfVdM
— Winston Smith 38% Jew @globalidentity.bsky.social (@Globalidentity) January 5, 2026
Hardly a vote of confidence in Reeves – but maybe one in Corbyn?
The poll shines a light on how little public confidence there is in Reeves and how unhappy people have been with her political choices.
Instead of choosing to tax the rich, who have seen a wealth increase of 1,000% since the financial crash, Reeves is maintaining the intolerable burden that resulted from years of austerity and the cost of living crisis.
Featured image via Number 10 (Flickr) / Sophie J. Brown (Wikimedia)
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