How do you solve a problem like Rishi Sunak? Earlier this year, when Keir Starmer was introducing himself to the public, the one way to put an unhappy expression on the faces of his closest allies was to ask them what they intended to do about the Chancellor. Now, Labour is either level or narrowly ahead of the Conservative Party in the polls for the first time since Boris Johnson entered Downing Street. Meanwhile, Starmer enjoys a comfortable lead over Johnson when voters are asked to assess his performance and fitness to govern.
The Conservative lead on managing the economy seems unassailable, however. This was unsurprising when Sunak was announcing measures to support the economy that were both generous and effective. But now the government’s income protection scheme is coming to a close – well ahead of those in other European countries – bringing with it a tide of redundancies. Meanwhile, across the country, businesses are being forced to shut or cease trading due to local lockdowns, with little in the way of economic support. For Labour, there is growing consternation that trust in the Tories isn’t falling alongside the United Kingdom’s employment rate.
Content from our partners
