Johnson suffers further blow in voter polls after months of controversies

Boris Johnson has suffered another blow as polls showed his personal ratings reaching a new low.

The prime minister’s ratings show 71 per cent of respondents think he is doing a bad job, after months of allegations of sleaze, unlawful Christmas parties and criticism over the handling of the Covid pandemic.

According to YouGov research, voters who think Johnson is performing well amount to only 23 per cent, and those who think the opposite have increased to 71 per cent.

The net rating of minus 48 is the lowest since he became prime minister.

In May, he had an overall positive score with 48 per cent admiring his performance, whilst 47 per cent disapproved of it.

Turning point for Labour?

Earlier this month, Labour registered its highest lead in polls since 2014.

At the time, the opposition party had a nine-point lead ahead of the Tories.

The catastrophic figures come after it emerged that last December, a Christmas party allegedly took place at Downing Street, with dozens in attendance. The prime minister, senior ministers and Number 10 all denied Covid rules were broken.

Asked which Covid-related scandal involving government representatives shocked them the most, 51 per cent of respondents said it was the No 10 Christmas Party last year, followed by 28 per cent for the Dominic Cummings trip to Barnard Castle and 21 per cent for former health secretary Matt Hancock’s affair.

Meanwhile, a photograph was shared with The Guardian after No 10 denied there was a social event on 15 May last year, showing Boris Johnson with wine and cheese alongside his wife and up to 17 staff during lockdown.

At the time, social mixing between households was limited to two people, who were only allowed to meet outside and keep a two-metre distance.

But in the photograph, there is a lack of social distancing and 19 people are gathered in groups across the Downing Street terrace and lawn.

May gathering wasn’t a party as attendees were wearing suits – Raab

Deputy prime minister Dominic Raab defended the prime minister by saying the May gathering was not a party because those present were wearing suits.

Whilst grilling Raab, presenter Kay Burley said: “[Carrie’s] sat down, with the baby, nursing the baby, there’s wine on the table, there’s cheese there, there’s at least 14, 15 other people in the garden.”

“That’s because it’s a place of work, they’re all in suits or predominantly in formal attire … To be honest with you, the prime minister is in a suit, the officials there…,” Raab replied.

He added: “So, some of them have taken their jackets off.”

Burley then replied: “So it’s only a business meeting if you’ve got a suit on?”

Raab told the same thing to Times Radio, prompting the radio’s Matt Chorley to tweet: “Yeah, because nobody ever socialises in a work suit.

“How would he have spotted it was a social gathering? If they were all naked?”

Andra Maciuca

Andra is a multilingual, award-winning NQJ senior journalist and the UK’s first Romanian representing co-nationals in Britain and reporting on EU citizens for national news. She is interested in UK, EU and Eastern European affairs, EU citizens in the UK, British citizens in the EU, environmental reporting, ethical consumerism and corporate social responsibility. She has contributed articles to VICE, Ethical Consumer and The New European and likes writing poetry, singing, songwriting and playing instruments. She studied Journalism at the University of Sheffield and has a Masters in International Business and Management from the University of Manchester. Follow her on: