What the public think the 1997-2010 governments got right and wrong
Think tank: The Policy Institute
Author(s): Prof Bobby Duffy; Prof Jon Davis
September 25, 2026
This report from UK think tank the Policy Institute finds that memories of New Labour vary sharply across party supporters.
Labour supporters today still look back fondly on the New Labour governments of 1997–2010 – but most think Andy Burnham’s government is performing about as well as or better, according to a new study.
Among Labour supporters who say they remember New Labour, six in 10 (60%) feel it was good for the UK, compared with around one in 10 (11%) who feel it was bad.
But that fondness isn’t shared by the public as a whole, who are much more divided on New Labour’s record, with a third (34%) of those who remember it saying it was good and the same proportion saying bad (34%) – with many saying neither or don’t know (32%).
And when it comes to the current government, a majority (56%) of Labour supporters say it’s doing about as well (26%) or better (30%) at running the country than New Labour did – against 31% who say it’s doing worse.
