The public is less confident in the potential of a Rishi Sunak-led government now than when the Prime Minister took over, a poll has found.
Scores for Mr Sunak’s Government have deteriorated sharply across a range of issues including competence, integrity and stability, according to a poll published today by Ipsos UK.
Mr Sunak came to office promising “integrity, professionalism and accountability at every level”, but the poll found just 25% of voters thought a government led by the Prime Minister would act with integrity if it won the next election while 27% thought it would be competent and effective.
These scores are both well below where they were when the Prime Minister entered Downing Street, with expectations of integrity falling by 16 points and competence by 13.
At October’s party conference, Mr Sunak sought to portray himself as offering a fresh start for Britain after what he described as 30 years of failure and stagnation.
But the Ipsos poll, carried out at the end of October, found just 17% of people thought a Sunak-led government would offer Britain a fresh start.
Expectations were much higher for a Labour government led by Sir Keir Starmer, with 41% of people saying it would offer a fresh start, 40% saying it would be competent and effective, and 45% saying it would act with integrity.
Some 45% of voters also said a Starmer-led government would improve public services, against just 18% saying the same about a Sunak-led government.
Sir Keir led Mr Sunak on each of the areas Ipsos asked about, with his narrowest lead being a four-point gap on whether he would grow the economy.
Keiran Pedley, director of politics at Ipsos, said: “These findings show there is less public confidence in what a Sunak government might achieve in the future today than there was when he took office.
“In some ways this should not be surprising given the realities of government. However, with the public more likely to see a fresh start and improved public services under Keir Starmer’s Labour, the Prime Minister faces a battle to convince voters the Conservatives deserve another term in office.”
The Ipsos poll surveyed 1,055 British adults between October 27 and 30.
