Prime Minister and Tories hit highest level of unfavourability, poll shows
Voters are now more unfavourable towards both the Conservative party and Rishi Sunak than at any other time during this parliament, polling shows.
The Tories are viewed unfavourably by 58%, surpassing the previous highest proportion registered by Ipsos polling in October when 56% were unfavourable.
With 19% viewing the Tories favourably, a net favourability rating of minus 39 places the party below all other parties considered, including Reform (minus 26).
Nigel Farage
The Prime Minister is viewed unfavourably by 57%, the highest percentage he has registered in this parliament and higher than any other politician in a list including Nigel Farage (54%) and Lee Anderson (48%), who recently defected from the Conservatives to the Reform party.
Rishi Sunak was viewed favourably by 19% of those polled between March 15 and 18, giving him a net score of minus 38.
This is the lowest rating among all the politicians included, with Lee Anderson (minus 35) and Nigel Farage (minus 33) the next worse.
Meanwhile, the Labour Party’s favourability score is minus seven, with 34% favourable and 41% unfavourable.
Sir Keir Starmer’s favourability score of minus 13 is only improved on by Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham (plus four), deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner (minus 12) and shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves (minus 12).
Fresh team
Just over three-quarters of those polled agreed that the UK needs a fresh team of leaders in government, which is the same proportion as in September.
Among those backing change, 41% said they are confident Labour can provide the leadership needed – a slight decrease from September.
Nearly two-thirds think the country is heading in the wrong direction and only 16% disagree, continuing a consistent pattern of views since April last year.
Keiran Pedley, Ipsos director of politics, said: “As general election year progresses analysts are keeping a watchful eye for signs of the polls narrowing.
“However, if anything, the underlying indicators are moving against the Conservatives rather than towards them.
“More Britons are unfavourable towards the Conservatives and Rishi Sunak than at any point this parliament and a consistent three-quarters say it is time for a new team of political leaders in Westminster – even if they aren’t necessarily confident Labour can provide this.”
Ipsos interviewed a representative sample of 1,111 adults and results are weighted to match the profile of the population.
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These figures are disappointing. What would the Tories have to do to get near 100% unfavourability? Kick doors in, ransack homes and heavily beat the occupants? Short of the physical presence and violent aspect of this, it is what they’re doing. It beggars belief that some of those polled still want them when they are as welcome as a fart in a spacesuit.
Someone will still vote for them? Suppose the gammon is still strong in a few.
Wonder how many people now have the vote that have only known this government.
Interesting that old Nigel “60 Lamberts a day” Fartage is polling that unfavourably. Yet Reform are picking up, what is it, 10 – 12% UK wide? The frustration for me is that it appears that everybody’s got sucked into the great populist, culture war distraction and the great econo-political heist of the last 150 years just happened under our noses. That is the wrench away from the European Social Market economic model and on to the Laissez Faire Andlo-American uber-Libertarian model. The transition is not yet complete but it is well underway with Labour seemingly either oblivious or unwilling to… Read more »