Rishi Sunak’s net favourability (-27) has fallen to it’s second-lowest level ever, according to the latest political polling from Savanta.
Sunak’s net rating of -27 is beaten only by the -28 he recorded in November 2023, and comes amid a revolt on the right of his party, led by Sir Simon Clarke MP, angry with Sunak’s leadership.
Four of Sunak’s last five net favourability ratings have been below -20.
However, Keir Starmer’s net rating also takes a tumble in this latest poll, down seven points from December to -8, representing his lowest score since August 2022.
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And this is despite Starmer maintaining a healthy lead in the best PM metric. Starmer (40%), now leads Sunak (30%), by 10 points. This represents the ninth consecutive Starmer lead in this metric which began in May 2023.
The poll also shows Labour’s voting intention lead over the Conservatives standing at 14 points, the lowest Labour lead in a Savanta poll since September 2023.
In this latest wave, Labour stand on 43% of the vote, down one point from the previous week, while the Conservatives are on 29%, up two points in the same period.
This latest poll from Savanta further highlights the disparity within the polling industry over the size of the Labour lead, due to differences in methodology. Savanta’s results come in the same week other polls show Labour leads in the mid- to high-twenties.
Chris Hopkins, Political Research Director at Savanta said, “In what has been a difficult week for Rishi Sunak, this polling is something of a mixed bag. On the one hand, Sunak’s personal ratings continue to flatline, with the recent negative trend regarding his net favourability continuing, and Starmer holding a commanding lead over him in terms of the Best Prime Minister.
“But Labour’s smaller lead here – while it could be an outlier – may provide a crumb of comfort.”
“Ultimately, the poll perhaps indicates the conundrum Tory MPs and Sunak himself faces. The Conservative brand has not recovered from its hammering at the hands of Johnson and Truss, and Sunak himself has failed to inspire any tangible or sustained polling recovery.
“Yet there remains a sense he could, that Labour’s lead is somewhat soft, and all is not yet lost ahead of this year’s election.”
