Almost twice as many voters believe Labour under Keir Starmer has the nation’s best interests at heart than say the Tories do under Rishi Sunak, according to the latest Opinium poll for the Observer.
The findings will disappoint Conservatives after a week in which Sunak managed to strike a well-received deal with the EU on the Northern Ireland protocol, an international negotiating success that enhanced his position as party leader and prime minister.
Opinium also found the Tories have yet to register any poll “bounce” from the broadly positive reactions to the protocol agreement. Labour still retains a hefty 17-point lead and is unchanged compared with a fortnight ago on 44%. The Conservatives are down one point on 27%. The Reform party is on 8% (+1), the Lib Dems 7% (-2), and the Greens are also on 7% (+1).
While his party remains far adrift of Labour, Sunak’s approval ratings have improved, however, rising from a net score of -15% to -8% (when the proportion who disapprove of his leadership is subtracted from that which approves). Starmer’s net approval rating is up two points on +2%.
Starmer and his team will be encouraged that Labour is seen as better at supporting the national interest than the Tories, as they seek to recover their party’s reputation for patriotism after it was damaged under the leadership of Jeremy Corbyn.
The poll found 41% of voters believed Labour had the nation’s best interests at heart against just 23% who said the Tories showed the same quality.
The Conservative party has improved its rating when voters are asked if it is united, albeit from a very low base. Since November last year, when it recorded a net score of -45% on the unity question, it has recovered to -37%. By contrast, Labour is seen as far more united with a net score of +6%, (up six points on November).
