The Conservatives have opened up an eye-watering 15 point lead over Labour, with Boris Johnson also seeing his popularity improve.
YouGov’s latest polling puts the Tories on 45 per cent, two points up on last week when local elections saw the party sweep up across councils and take the Hartlepool by-election.
Labour lost control of eight councils and shed some 326 councillors all told in the elections.
The biggest defeats came in Hartlepool, where a Conservative MP was elected for the first time in 62 years, and in County Durham, which saw Labour lose overall control of the council for the first time since 1925.
Westminster voting intention:
— Britain Elects (@BritainElects) May 14, 2021
CON: 45% (+2)
LAB: 30% (-3)
GRN: 8% (+2)
LDEM: 7% (-)
REFUK: 2% (-1)
via @YouGov
Chgs. w/ 05 May
Polling also shows Johnson has improved his standing in the popularity stakes.
He is the second most popular Conservative politician with a 38 per cent net popularity rating, three points behind Rishi Sunak who sits on 41 per cent.
The PM is also the second most famous – seemingly behind David Cameron.
Earlier this week Tony Blair said Sir Keir Starmer “lacks a compelling economic message” as three of the Labour leader’s predecessors weighed in on the party’s electoral woes.
The former prime minister advised Sir Keir to debate cultural issues “urgently and openly” to prevent them being damagingly defined by the right and ‘woke’ left”.
Mr Blair’s successor in No 10 and at the head of the Labour Party, Gordon Brown, suggested the coronavirus pandemic had hindered Sir Keir’s ability to connect with the public.
While Ed Miliband, who led Labour in opposition, said the party needs to be “bolder”.
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