The latest Government approval rating has slumped amid the fallout from Donald Trump's trade tariffs in a blow to Sir Keir Starmer. A staggering 67% of those surveyed said they disapprove of the Government, compared with just 14% who approve and 19% who don't know if they approve or not, according to YouGov's weekly tracker. The result is a very slight improvement on the 68% disapproval rating recorded by YouGov on March 31.

Anthony Wells, Head of European Political and Social Research at YouGov, told the Express: "There was a small uptick in government approval after the US-Ukraine falling out in February, but this effect now seems to have dissipated." The rise came in the wake of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's White House visit, during which his US counterpart tore a strip off the wartime leader in front of the world's media. YouGov's figures come at an uncertain time for the global markets, as over the past seven days the US President has waged a trade war against most nations around the world - including the UK - threatening to slap hefty import taxes on goods entering the States.

Sir Keir has said his Government needs to "step up" to adapt to a rapidly changing world and admitted on Wednesday (April 9) that he was uncertain whether Mr Trump's 10% tariff on British goods will remain in place indefinitely.

He also conceded that striking a free trade deal with the US or lowering the tariff rate for Brtiain would not be "enough" for the country.

Hours later, Mr Trump announced he would pause for 90 days the tariffs he had announced for countries who had not responded to his move with reciprocal levies.

YouGov's latest Government approval result shows Britons may not be wholly satisfied with how Sir Keir and his ministers are responding to the trade crisis, with some perhaps keen for a firmer response.

The European Union and China have both announced retaliatory tariffs, but Sir Keir has insisted that a similar move by Britain would be the wrong approach. Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch has said the PM's decision not to retaliate straightaway was correct.

Lib Dem leader, Sir Ed Davey, has said the UK needs to stand up to Mr Trump. During a local election visit to Gloucester today, he said: "I think we've got to stand up to him. I think it's right Number 10 is trying to talk to the White House.

"But I think they need another strategy at the same time, and that is to be a bit tougher, to work with our European allies, our Commonwealth allies and others to have an economic coalition of the willing to promote free trade."

Mrs Badenoch said her worry is Sir Keir can sign a trade deal which would just take the UK back to where it was last week before the tariff came into effect.

She said: "What we actually need is a trade deal that is going to be for the future, not the past."

The Prime Minister told ITV's Peston: "We are negotiating and we hope to improve the situation, but what I mean by this is that simply thinking that any change in the rates, or any deal is going to be enough, to my mind is wrong.

"Because just as we've done with defence and security, where we've recognised it's a changing world, we've got to step up and act differently. In that case with defence spend, co-ordinating better across Europe, so too with trade and the economy."

YouGov's Government approval figures will also send a warning to those campaigning for the Labour Party ahead of the local elections on May 1.

The local polls and a by-election in the Runcorn and Helsby seat vacated by ex-Labour MP Mike Amesbury will be the first big electoral test for Sir Keir since last July's general election. Ballots will be held for 23 councils and six mayoralties in England.