Rishi Sunak received a surprise poll bump today as the public responded positively to the tax cuts and benefits boost announced in the Autumn Statement.
Tory support jumps by four points
A fresh YouGov survey found Tory support jumped by four points in a week to 25 per cent. That's the highest rating the party has seen since September and just three points below the PM's best-ever score last April.
Labour remains ahead
But the government still has a mountain to climb to catch up to Sir Keir Starmer. YouGov puts Labour a mega 19 points ahead of the Conservatives. With a showdown general election taking place as early as May next year, Tory strategists are desperate to narrow the gaping hole.
Brits support tax cuts and benefits boost
The new polling shows Jeremy Hunt's move to slash National Insurance by 2p was backed by 61 per cent of the country and 72 per cent of those who voted Conservative at the last election. A whopping 85 per cent of Brits supported hiking the minimum wage to £11.44 an hour. And 64 per cent of voters supported increasing benefits with September's inflation rate of 6.7 per cent, while 78 per cent backed hiking pensions by 8.5 per cent in line with wages.
Positive response to work shy crackdown
Mr Hunt's mega crackdown on the work shy – threatening to cut their benefits after 2.5 years if they don't look for work – was positively received by 60 per cent of the public.
Anthony Wells, head of European political and social research at YouGov, said that despite the PM's poll bump, overall support for the Tories is wafer thin. He said: "At face value the increase in Conservative support suggests it has done some good for the government, but it would be wise to wait to see if that increase lasts beyond the immediate headlines before putting too much weight on it," he said. "Not least the poll’s other findings suggest few of the public think the changes will do much to help either them or the country."
