Chancellor’s Poll Ratings Plummet

Not that long ago the Chancellor, Rishi Sunak, was seen as the King in waiting, ready to take over the keys to Number 10 having seen his popularity build during the pandemic off the back of initiatives such as furlough.

New polling however demonstrates the extent to which that has gone out the window.

Following a Spring Statement that landed badly in the press and among the public, polling by YouGov  suggests that 57% of those polled between the 4th and 5th April have an unfavourable opinion of the Chancellor, compared with 28% who see him in a positive light. It gives him a net favourability score of -29, compared to -15 in YouGov’s last survey of this kind between 23rd – 24th March.

Meanwhile, Ipsos Mori has similar grim news for the Chancellor, giving him a net favourability rating of -18, the lowest ever recorded by the company.  

When asked whether things in Britain were heading in the right or wrong direction, Ipsos Mori has found that 21% believe things are heading in the right direction (down 8 points from March), with 56% saying it is going in the wrong direction (up 12 points). The pollsters note that: “This is the highest proportion saying wrong direction this parliament (the closest number was 53% in October 2020).”

When it comes to the so called ‘partygate’ scandal, 52% say the Prime Minister should resign if he’s issued with a fixed penalty notice for breaking COVID rules. 22% are opposed.

On Brexit, 28% think it has had a positive impact on the country (down 2 points from March) and 45% say negative (up 1 point). 22% think it has made no difference (up 3 points). The remaining 6% say they don’t know.

When it comes to headline voting intentions, Savanta ComRes polling carried out between 1st and 3rd April puts the Conservatives on 33% (down 2 points compared to polling carried out the week before).  Labour are up 1 point on 40%.

Meanwhile, the Country Land and Business Association has published polling undertaken by Survation of residents aged 18 and above in  five rural areas - Cornwall, Cumbria, North Yorkshire, Norfolk or Gwynedd. Whilst it puts the Conservatives in the lead in these areas on 38%, Labour are not far behind on 36%. 66% of those responding said that the UK Government is not doing enough to create prosperity in rural communities.

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