“The historical comparisons continue to look ominous for Rishi Sunak and the Conservatives."
A new poll will cause yet another headache for Rishi Sunak, showing that support for the Tories has fallen to just 20%.
The poll, carried out by an Ipsos UK survey for The Standard, found that support for the Tories fell from 27% in January to 20% in February – the worst result for the Conservatives since the political tracker began in 1978.
It comes in the same week as the Chancellor prepares to deliver his budget, showing just how unpopular the Tories are, with Sunak facing an uphill battle.
The Prime Minister is hoping that the budget will give the Tories a ‘poll bounce’, yet with the Tories prioritising tax cuts rather than investment in public services which is what the public want, a few pre-election giveaways in the budget won’t do much to save the Conservative party after 14 years of presiding over growing levels of poverty and inequality.
The Standard reports that factors in February which may have contributed to the Tories’ dire poll rating include ‘official figures showing Britain went into recession at the end of 2022, two more by-election losses for the Conservatives in Wellingborough and Kingswood, and Lee Anderson’s “Islamists” rant against Sadiq Khan.’
Gideon Skinner, Head of Political Research at Ipsos, told the Standard: “The historical comparisons continue to look ominous for Rishi Sunak and the Conservatives.
“The Ipsos Political Monitor started in the late 70s and has never recorded a Conservative vote share this low – and the job satisfaction trends for the Prime Minister and his government since he took office are also heading downwards.
“Combined with Labour taking leads on issues of economic credibility to go with their traditional strengths in public services, this means the Conservatives face big challenges across a number of fronts if they are to turn the situation around.”
Basit Mahmood is editor of Left Foot Forward
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