Wes Streeting’s potential leadership bid has been the subject of mockery from figures within Labour – and Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch’s slapdown of the former health secretary in the Commons on Wednesday went viral on social media.

However, in Streeting’s parliamentary seat of Ilford North, his constituents seem rather fond of him and pleased with the prospect that their MP could get the keys to No 10. Lesley, who works in Tesco in Barkingside, said: “He’d be very good. He comes into Tesco’s a lot, he’s a nice man. He talks to all of us.”

And some people are indeed sick of Keir Starmer’s premiership. Lesley asked: “Is [Streeting] getting rid of Starmer?”, and then gave two thumbs up.

For the general public, Streeting ranks third among his Labour rivals according to YouGov, with Andy Burnham and Angela Rayner in front. Streeting is less popular with Labour members, who put him fourth behind Burnham, Rayner and Ed Miliband.

Streeting announced on Thursday that he was resigning as health secretary, paving the way for a potential leadership challenge. He has a slim majority of just 528 in Ilford North but even those who support other parties seemed pleased that he was potentially up for the leadership. It seems the prospect of Streeting becoming prime minister has boosted his profile locally.

Paul Hipkins, strolling down the Barkingside high street, said he would like a new prime minister but “I’d prefer Nigel Farage.” He said the leadership election within Labour “could go wrong and cause more problems” but that he liked Streeting. “I’ve seen him around, I like him.”

There was a general feeling of political fatigue around the Ilford North constituency. Amber, 21, was sipping a latte in a Barkingside cafe when she said: “A lot of things Labour has done have backfired, but it’s a whole party problem, it can’t be changed by changing the leader.

“If they hold a general election, they won’t win, and a lot of people are scared Reform might win. Changing leader might not be the best thing in terms of stability and it’s what Reform wanted – one of their slogans was ‘Get Starmer out!’”

Rochelle Clifford, a 67-year-old teacher, agreed. “It could be dangerous changing leader, the last lot did it, look what Liz Truss did to this country.”

But she wouldn’t mind Streeting as prime minister: “He can’t be worse than the idiot we’ve got. He’s not a bad local MP. They won’t choose him as he only just won his seat, but I like him. He is around a lot, he’s very personable, he’s very visible and approachable in the community.”

Indeed, almost everyone spoken to by the Guardian said that they had met Streeting in the cafes and supermarkets of the constituency, and he was always up for a chat. Jamila Amin, 54, stopped while doing her grocery shop to say: “He’s a good man. I think he would make a good prime minister, but I think Keir Starmer should be given a chance. He is being blamed for a lot of things that aren’t his fault. He is doing his best.”

Up the road in Gants Hill, people were tucking into their breakfasts at the Station Cafe, where Streeting is often spotted having a coffee or digging into a fry-up. The owner, Mahmed Firuz, said: “I like him very much, he comes in a lot. I think he is a good man, he is very friendly.”

And would he mind if Streeting swapped Ilford North and his local cafe for Westminster? “We need a change of prime minister, and he could be good.”

It may not be surprising he’s pressed so many palms and is such a fixture of the local cafes and supermarkets; Streeting has been campaigning hard to boost his majority and avoid losing the seat in the next general election. His team has pointed to Redbridge’s performance in the recent local elections. Widely tipped to go to the independent candidates, Labour won a healthy majority and bucked the national trend of losses.

He said at he count: “To all of those naysayers who claimed I couldn’t win Ilford North at the next general election, I will be standing in Ilford North at the next general election. This is my home, I’ve served this community for well over a decade, I’m not going anywhere, I’m in it to win it.”

Iliana, a social worker, was enjoying a mid-morning coffee in Gants Hill. She also likes Streeting: “I live in Redbridge, and every time me and my sister have written to him he’s been very responsive.”

She doesn’t want a change of prime minister though: “Just leave him to do his job. What’s happened to the world today – I think this country needs stabilising and everything feels so unstable. Starmer has a tough job. Though his Mandelson decision was – how shall I put it? – unwise.”

Asked if Streeting would be a good prime minister she laughed and said: “Well, he’d be a lot better than Farage. [Streeting] does seem like a serious person. When I see him, I think ‘leadership’.”