Tory support has sunk to its lowest level since the latter days of Liz Truss’s brief but eventful spell as Prime Minister, a new poll has indicated.
Meanwhile, support for Richard Tice’s Reform UK appears to be holding steady in another worrying sign for Ms Truss’s successor, Rishi Sunak – who has been warned he is facing “electoral wipeout”.
Savanta’s survey puts Labour on 44 points (unchanged from last month), with the Tories down two points to 24 points.
Reform is on 11 points, also unchanged, with the Lib Dems down one on 10 points. The Greens (four points) and SNP (three points ) are likewise unchanged, with four percent backing various other parties.
There is some good news for Mr Sunak, who is seen as the best option for PM by 32 percent, up three, while Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer is down two points, but still well ahead on 39 percent.
Nevertheless, Labour’s lead of 20 percent is its highest in a Savanta poll since September 17. Savanta’s polls so far this year have put the party’s leader at between 12 and 20 points.
Chris Hopkins, Political Research Director at Savanta said: “Not since the lowest point of the Liz Truss administration, in the bloody aftermath of her mini-budget and Kwasi Kwarteng’s resignation, have we recorded the Conservative Party vote share this low.
“With the Conservatives continuing to drop in the polls, Savanta has recorded its biggest Labour lead since September 2023.”
Mr Hopkins continued: “Reform UK’s high watermark from our most recent poll appears to be holding, and Labour’s vote share appears to be holding firm.
“It is hard to envision, but there is no reason why things can’t get even worse for Rishi Sunak in the coming weeks.
“That being said, it doesn’t look like there any readymade alternatives for the Conservatives to avoid electoral wipeout.”
The survey was based on online interviews with 2,216 UK adults interviewed between March 22 and 24.
Mr Sunak was dealt a double blow yesterday when two Government ministers resigned within minutes of each other.
Robert Halfon unexpectedly quit as skills, apprenticeships and higher education minister, while James Heappey followed through on his stated intention to step down as armed forces minister ahead of exiting Parliament at the general election.
Mr Halfon, who has been MP for Harlow in Essex since 2019, and who has served in a series of senior roles since first being elected to Parliament in 2010, said in a letter to Mr Sunak: “After well over two decades as the Harlow Parliamentary Candidate and as MP, I feel that it is time for me to step down at the forthcoming general election, and in doing so, to resign as a minister in your Government.”
Mr Heappey, the Conservative MP for Wells, Somerset, earlier this month announced his plan to quit as an MP and to stand down as a minister before then.
In a thread posted to X, he wrote: “I’ve loved every minute as MinAF in this incredible department.
“Our Armed Forces & MoD civil servants are the very best of us.
“Representing them in Parliament & around the world over last 4.5 years has been an amazing privilege.”
