National Pride Crashes As Starmer’s Britain Turns On Itself

National Pride Crashes As Starmer’s Britain Turns On Itself

National pride has hit record lows and Britain is now more divided than ever under Sir Keir Starmer’s leadership, according to a major new study by King’s College London and Ipsos.

Eight in ten Britons now believe the country is divided — up ten points since 2020 — while half say British “culture” is changing too fast. The findings reveal a sharp rise in pessimism, nostalgia, and frustration with Labour’s handling of cultural issues from immigration to trans rights.

Researchers branded the results “frightening,” warning of an increasingly polarised and downbeat society. Just 46% of respondents said they were proud of Britain, down from 56% in 2020. Among young people aged 16–24, pride plunged to just 29%.

Half of respondents said they wanted Britain to “be the way it used to be,” a sentiment that doubled since 2020. Reform UK voters — many drawn from Labour’s old heartlands — were most likely to say culture was changing too fast, with nearly nine in ten expressing concern.

Critics accused Labour of deepening the divides. Lord Young of the Free Speech Union said Starmer’s government had “pandered to minorities” and abandoned “ordinary Britons,” while Reform MP Lee Anderson blasted “weak leadership” and a “corrupted education system.” Tory MP Sir John Hayes warned that “ideological multiculturalism” had left Britain fragmented and uncertain of its identity.

Trans rights and climate debates also fuelled tensions, with 39% now saying the trans movement has gone “too far,” up from 17% in 2020. Climate divisions widened too, while Brexit animosity eased slightly.

Ipsos director Gideon Skinner said the survey captures “a society grappling with nostalgia and the pace of change” — and that Nigel Farage’s Reform UK is becoming the political home for those who feel left behind.

Key Takeaways:

• 8 in 10 say Britain is divided; pride and optimism collapsing.

• Half want Britain “as it used to be,” up sharply since 2020.

• Reform UK emerges as the home for voters fearing cultural change.

Source: Daily Mail