As Ed Miliband tops a poll of Labour activists, do we need more proof the party has lost the plot?

Ed Miliband has topped a poll of Labour activists – as party members urged Sir Keir Starmer to move further to the Left.

The controversial Climate Change Secretary had the highest approval rating of any Cabinet minister in a survey of more than 2,000 party members.

Mr Milibands zeal for achieving net zero at any cost had alarmed some of the PMs allies and triggered rumours he could be moved aside in a Cabinet reshuffle this summer. But, his popularity among Labour activists could make him almost unsackable.

The Survation poll for the website LabourList found Mr Miliband has a net approval rating of 68.6 per cent among Labour members, putting him narrowly ahead of Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner on 62.3 per cent.

The Left-wing pair are both far ahead of Sir Keir, who is on just 13.8 per cent.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves is in last place, with Labour members giving her a net approval rating of -11.2 per cent. Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall, whose £5 billion cuts to welfare triggered a Labour backlash this week, has a rating of -7.5 per cent. The survey also found that Labour members believe the Government is going in the wrong direction by a margin of 49:40.

Ed Miliband and Angela Rayner during a visit to the London Power Tunnels at Old Kent Road, London

Angela Rayner is the second most popular candidate among Labour activists

More than half of the partys activists still wanted Sir Keir to lead Labour into the next election

Tom Belger, editor of LabourList, said: It should raise alarm bells with the leadership that theres so much unease, even among the so-called party faithful, less than a year into office.

The grassroots mood matters if Labour wants a strong ground operation in upcoming elections. But its no surprise given how many controversial decisions ministers have felt forced into in tough fiscal circumstances, when hopes are high after so long out of power.

The poll also revealed that Labour members fear the rise of Reform UK, with 71 per cent saying Nigel Farages party now presents the biggest electoral threat compared with just 16 per cent identifying the Conservatives and 3 per cent naming the Liberal Democrats and the Greens.

Despite the Governments rocky start, more than half of party activists (52 per cent) said they want Sir Keir to lead Labour into the next election, while 31 per cent want a new leader.