In the week that saw Boris Johnson return to work the latest polling reveals a substantial fall in the UK public’s approval of the Government and its handling of the virus fell for a third week in a row.
Approval for the Government’s handling of the crisis has dropped from a positive net score of +21 per cent down to +13 per cent and is now at its lowest level since 12th March, before the lockdown measures were brought in.
Similarly, confidence in the Government’s ability to handle the situation also fell, from +18 per cent last week to +15 per cent this week.
Meanwhile as many as 60 per cent disapprove of the Government’s handling of access to PPE equipment for NHS staff and essential workers.
Support for other British governments
While approval for Boris Johnson’s Government is wavering, it’s a different story in Scotland.
Fifty five per cent of Scottish adults approve of the Scottish government’s handling of Coronavirus, while 16 per cent disapprove, and among those in Northern Ireland, 43 per cent approve while 25 per cent disapprove of NI government’s handling of Coronavirus.
Furthermore, in London 38 per cent approve of Sadiq Khan’s actions, while 23 per cent disapprove.
In Wales, 29 per cent approve versus 38 per cent who disapprove.
Public not letting up on the lockdown
Currently, four in five say they are following the lockdown restrictions and instructions as strictly as they were when they were first introduced.
However, 14 per cent admit they are starting to be more relaxed about bending the rules slightly now if they don’t think it will harm anyone, while 3 per cent say they never followed the rules in the first place.
Those that are bending the rules are mainly shopping for non-essentials (23 per cent) or exercising more than once a day (21 per cent).
Fifteen per cent have admitted to visiting family they do not live with and 13 per cent say they have met up with friends and family to go for a walk.
Treating lockdown rules less strictly
Adam Drummond, head of political polling at Opinium, comments: “The news that the government has met its 100,000 test target has come at a welcome time for Matt Hancock as discontent with the testing and PPE situation has climbed and approval of the government’s handling of the situation has dropped to the level it was at when the UK was the only major country not locking down.
“Public appetite for lifting the lockdown measures remains miniscule.
“Very few people believe that conditions have been met to allow for public spaces and venues to re-open on May 8th and, while some are treating the lockdown rules less strictly than before, most say they are not and few admit to breaching them.”
Related: There is no economic health without public health – Wolfers
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