Savanta ComRes Political Tracker May 2021 & Westminster Voting Intention

Savanta ComRes Political Tracker May 2021

Starmer’s Favourability Ratings drop 11pts in Savanta ComRes Political Tracker

• Headline favourability ratings (chg from April): Johnson +6 (+4); Starmer -18 (-11); UK Government +4 (+5)
• Best PM rating: Johnson 48% (+4), Starmer 24% (-6), Don’t know (28% (+2)
• Starmer’s rating is his lowest since the tracker began last May; Johnson and UK Government’s ratings are highest since first wave last May
• Third say they dislike both Starmer and his policies – highest ever figure
• Conversely a third say they like both Johnson and his policies – highest figure since June 2020

Keir Starmer’s net favourability rating has dropped 11pts in a month to -18, his lowest ever rating in the Savanta ComRes political tracker.

Following a poor performance in the local elections and a somewhat bungled reshuffle, a third (33%) of adults now say that they dislike both the leader of the opposition, and his policies, up 5pts from last month.

And this latest poll follows a Savanta ComRes voting intention, published yesterday, that gives the Conservative Party an 11pt lead, the largest lead in a Savanta ComRes poll since May last year, and the lowest Labour figure since February 2020.

The bad news for Starmer in this poll is compounded by other metrics, including a 6pt drop in those who say that they like both Keir Starmer and his policies (14%), and a 10pt drop in those that say they like both Keir Starmer and his party (13%). Boris Johnson, conversely, scores his highest figures in both metrics (32% and 31%, respectively) since June 2020.

The public are twice as likely to say that Labour are divided than the Conservatives (33% vs 15%), while just 9% say that Labour have good leadership, compared to one in five (20%) who say the same for the Conservatives.

And, perhaps most troubling of all, just a quarter (24%) of UK adults say that Keir Starmer would make the best Prime Minister, half as many who say Boris Johnson would make the best PM (48%). More people don’t know (28%) than pick Starmer.

Amongst 2019 Labour voters, under three in five (56%) say that Starmer would make the best Prime Minister. Over a quarter say that they don’t know (27%).

Commenting on the findings, Chris Hopkins, Political Research Director at Savanta ComRes says,

“This poll will provide absolutely no comfort to a Labour Party in something of a mid-cycle slump. While the fortunes of political parties naturally ebb and flow, it is uncharacteristic for an opposition party, and leader, to be doing quite this badly at this stage of an election cycle and, as things stand, the Labour Party do not appear to know how to reverse their declining fortunes.

Simply waiting for the government to screw up is not a good enough strategy, and while the Conservatives are enjoying a vaccine-bump and restrictions are being gradually lifted, it would take a monumental disaster for things to change – and even if such a disaster did occur, it would be more than fair to be sceptical that Labour, in it’s current guise, would take advantage.

While the next election does feel a way off, in reality there isn’t masses to time for Starmer to change course, and the next few months will be crucial in deciding Labour’s direction, else another large Conservative majority looks nothing short of an inevitability.”

Date Published: 18/05/2021

Categories: Politics | Voting Intention

Client: Savanta ComRes

Methodology

Savanta ComRes interviewed 2,131 between 14-16 May 2021. Savanta ComRes is a member of the British Polling Council and abides by its rules.

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