Ian West/PA
A fictional Labour frontbencher is better known than many of the real ones in Keir Starmer’s shadow cabinet, a survey has found.
Fiona Wilson was known to 47 per cent of respondents to the survey, carried out by Portland Communications for Times Radio, with 15 per cent feeling “favourable” towards her.
The only issue is, Fiona Wilson does not exist.
Invented by the survey, she was better known than real-life shadow culture secretary Thangham Debbonaire and shadow Cabinet Office minister Nick Thomas-Symonds.
Ms Wilson’s favourability rating also puts her ahead of some of the party’s biggest stars, including shadow business secretary Jonathan Reynolds.
While a fictional Conservative minister, Henry Thorpe, was better known than Energy Secretary Claire Coutinho.
Mr Thorpe also scored a net favourability rating of minus five, putting him in the top tier of real Tory ministers.
Gabriel Milland, partner at Portland Communications, said: “The baggage the Tories are carrying with them is very heavy indeed. A large part of the public are taking a massive dislike even to made-up Tory cabinet ministers.”
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