Labour takes FIVE-POINT poll leader over Tories as Boris Johnson’s personal approval rating plummets

Labour takes FIVE-POINT leader over Tories in the polls as Boris Johnson’s personal approval rating falls to the WORST of his premiership amid increasing pessimism over the economy

  • Ipsos MORI poll today puts Labour on 42% (+5) and the Tories on 37% (-3)
  • Boris Johnson’s personal popularity has also taken a battering
  • PM has net satisfaction rating of -26, the worst score of premiership with Ipsos
  • More than seven in 10 believe that the economy will get worse in the next year 

Labour has taken a five-point lead over the Conservatives amid the fall-out from Boris Johnson‘s handling of the coronavirus crisis, a shock new poll reveals today.

Sir Keir Starmer‘s party leapfrogged the Tories after weeks in which the Government has been involved in furious rows over the extent of Covid lockdowns in the North and took on England footballer Marcus Rashford over school meals.

An Ipsos MORI poll today puts Labour on 42 per cent, up five, while the Tories have slumped three points to 37 per cent. It is Labour’s first lead over the Conservatives since Mr Johnson became Prime Minister.

His personal popularity has also taken a battering, with a net satisfaction rating of -26, the worst score of his premiership with the pollster. 

In contrast, Sir Keir Starmer was on 26, the best of any Labour leader at this stage of their leadership in the past 35 years – apart from Tony Blair. But the poll has carried out before yesterday’s anti-Semitism report release which led to Jeremy Corbyn being suspended. 

The poll also found increasing pessimism over the economy, amid fears that England could completely be placed into lockdown. 

More than seven in 10 (71 per cent) believe that the economy will get worse in the next year, up 5 per cent on last month. 

Sir Keir Starmer was on 26, the best of any Labour leader at this stage of their leadership in the past 35 years - apart from Tony Blair

Sir Keir Starmer was on 26, the best of any Labour leader at this stage of their leadership in the past 35 years – apart from Tony Blair

Ipsos MORI’s director of politics, Keiran Pedley said: ‘With the government facing challenges on multiple fronts, it is perhaps unsurprising to see Labour take the lead. 

‘Labour will be encouraged that leader Keir Starmer continues to post net positive satisfaction ratings and that the party is seen as less divided and extreme than it was before the last General Election and more fit to govern. 

‘However, with the Conservatives still leading Labour on being seen to have the best policies on handling the coronavirus pandemic, Britain’s relationship with the EU and managing the economy, it remains to be seen whether Labour’s lead will last, or prove short-lived.’

Dominic Raab today hinted the Government could introduce a new Tier Four set of even stricter coronavirus restrictions as he refused to rule out a national lockdown.

The Government’s current local lockdown system is based on three tiers but there are fears that even the most draconian rules in Tier Three are not enough to stop the spread of the disease.

A new Tier Four could see non-essential shops told to close and travel limited to getting to work and school.

Mr Raab said the Government is ‘always ready for further measures’ as he insisted ministers intend to stick to their localised approach of cracking down on infections.

But the Foreign Secretary admitted that both Germany and France had also used a strategy of local crackdowns before ultimately being forced into new nation shutdowns.

He would only go so far as saying the Government is ‘striving to avoid’ following the UK’s European neighbours as he resisted imposing a ‘blanket approach or a blunt approach’.

His comments came as local leaders warned it is ‘inevitable’ that Birmingham will soon be moved into Tier Three as ministers warned the nation is heading for a national lockdown ‘by proxy’ while streets were largely empty in London amid fears the capital will be plunged into the top tier within the next two weeks.

Leave a Comment