Rishi Sunak’s personal ratings plunge to lowest level in a year just a week before crucial by-elections

Rishi Sunak’s persona ratings have plunged again in a grim sign less than a week before crucial by-elections.

An Ipsos UK poll has shown the PM’s net favourability score falling to minus 21, with 47 per cent of people saying they viewed him negatively.

The figures are the worst for Mr Sunak since he dramatically quit as Chancellor in July last year – sparking the downfall of Boris Johnson.

At that point half had an unfavourable impression of him.

The Tory leader is facing a triple test at the ballot boxes next Thursday, with contests taking place in Mr Johnson’s old Uxbridge & South Ruislip seat, Somerton & Frome and Selby & Ainsty. 

Conservatives are gloomy about their prospects, with many resigned to losing all three. National polls have been consistently showing double-digit leads for Labour.

In a small bright spot for Mr Sunak, the latest Ipsos research, carried out between June 30 and July 3, found Keir Starmer’s ratings remain in negative territory.

An Ipsos UK poll has shown the PM’s net favourability score falling to minus 21

Although they have improved slightly over the past month, 32 per cent had a favourable view of him and 39 per cent unfavourable.

On the qualities people said were most important to them, Mr Sunak received overwhelmingly negative ratings while impressions of Sir Keir were more mixed.

Some 42 per cent had a poor view of the PM’s competence, 43 per cent doubted him keeping promises, and 45 per cent were unconvinced by his policies for improving public services.

For Sir Keir, the public were evenly split on his policies for dealing with the cost of living and his understanding of Britain’s problems.

But 35 per cent of people thought he would not be competent as prime minister, more than the 31 per cent who thought he would.

Gideon Skinner, head of political research at Ipsos UK, said: ‘The public put dealing with the cost of living, understanding Britain’s problems and competence at the top of their list for judging a potential prime minister, and unfortunately for Rishi Sunak negative impressions outweigh positive ones for all of them.

‘Keir Starmer leads on most of the factors – albeit partly because he receives fewer negative scores, there is still room to improve his favourable ratings.

‘Keir Starmer’s strongest suit is probably policies to improve Britain’s public services, one of the key issues to Britons and one of the few where either party leader gets more positives than negatives.

‘Meanwhile, in terms of our regular trackers, Keir Starmer also maintains his lead over Rishi Sunak in general favourability ratings – in particular he has seen a boost among his own Labour voters this month.’

In a small bright spot for Mr Sunak, the latest Ipsos research, carried out between June 30 and July 3, found Keir Starmer’s ratings remain in negative territory

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