Liz Truss facing the BBC politics editor Chris Mason (Picture: Simon Dawson/No 10 Downing Street)
Liz Truss suffered another blow as her popularity plunged to a record low of -70 per cent – with more than half her party members wanting her to go just six weeks after making her leader.
The prime minister is more unpopular than predecessor Boris Johnson, who scored -53 per cent the day he resigned in July, and former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, who was -55 in June 2019.
The YouGov poll findings emerged as more rail strikes were announced by the RMT union – piling on pressure the day after her new chancellor Jeremy Hunt announced an almost complete U-turn on her tax-cutting economic programme.
Her friend Kwasi Kwarteng’s uncosted mini-budget on September 23 unleashed weeks of financial turmoil, prompting her to sack him last Friday.
On Monday night, she told the BBC she wanted to ‘accept responsibility and say sorry for mistakes that have been made’, insisted she was still in control and vowed to lead the party into the next election.
Before seeing members of the influential European Research Group of Brexiteer Tory MPs to bolster support yesterday, she held a cabinet meeting, where her spokesman insisted her future was not discussed.
Ministers were tight-lipped as they left No.10 but the spokesman said: ‘Her view is she needs to be focused on what is right for the country rather than internal discussions among the party at the moment.
‘She is conscious that these are globally difficult times and the UK is in a difficult situation economically. That is why she has acted decisively.’ Asked if ministers had offered support in cabinet, the spokesman said: ‘Certainly ministers were very involved in the discussions around preparations for the medium-term fiscal plan.
‘It was an in-depth discussion where everyone was able to hear people’s views on this important issue for the UK.’
Members of the Cabinet leave No.10 after a tough day at the office (Credits: EPA)
The fiscal statement on October 31 will lay out more plans to encourage economic growth but Mr Hunt has warned MPs there will be ‘eye-wateringly’ difficult decisions on cuts to balance the books.
Some spooked MPs want to oust Ms Truss so a new PM has two years to turn things round before an election – due by 2024.
One plot is said to be for defence secretary Ben Wallace to get the job as a compromise to both wings of the party. Others tout a ticket of ex-chancellor Rishi Sunak and fellow beaten rival Penny Mordaunt.
More: Liz Truss
They fear polls giving Labour a lead of up to 36 points – enough to give them a landslide leaving the Conservatives as the third party with just 22 seats if she stays.
YouGov said its favourability poll of 1,700 adults, the weekend after she sacked Mr Kwarteng but before the latest U-turns, made her the least-liked leader since the survey began more than 20 years ago.
Boris Johnson giving his first speech after becoming PM back in 2019 – could he get another chance? (Picture: Getty Images)
One in ten adults has a positive view of Ms Truss but 80 per cent were negative – her -70 per cent net favourability had plunged 14 points in a week. YouGov also found 77 per cent disapproved of her government – the highest figure in the 11 years since it began tracking such data.
Another poll, by Savanta ComRes, yesterday said 67 per cent of people believed Tory MPs should replace Ms Truss. And 62 per cent of Tory voters think MPs should actively try to remove her. But mooted successors are also unpopular. Mr Sunak, Ms Mordaunt and Mr Hunt all had negative YouGov ratings. And even Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer was disliked by more people than support him – giving him a minus five per cent rating.
Mr Johnson’s popularity has risen since his summer exit amid claims he lied over lockdown parties in No.10. He is now on -36 – and things are so bad for Ms Truss that one third of party members told pollsters they wanted him back there.
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.
For more stories like this, check our news page.
Liz Truss facing the BBC politics editor Chris Mason (Picture: Simon Dawson/No 10 Downing Street)
Liz Truss suffered another blow as her popularity plunged to a record low of -70 per cent – with more than half her party members wanting her to go just six weeks after making her leader.
The prime minister is more unpopular than predecessor Boris Johnson, who scored -53 per cent the day he resigned in July, and former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, who was -55 in June 2019.
The YouGov poll findings emerged as more rail strikes were announced by the RMT union – piling on pressure the day after her new chancellor Jeremy Hunt announced an almost complete U-turn on her tax-cutting economic programme.
Her friend Kwasi Kwarteng’s uncosted mini-budget on September 23 unleashed weeks of financial turmoil, prompting her to sack him last Friday.
On Monday night, she told the BBC she wanted to ‘accept responsibility and say sorry for mistakes that have been made’, insisted she was still in control and vowed to lead the party into the next election.
Before seeing members of the influential European Research Group of Brexiteer Tory MPs to bolster support yesterday, she held a cabinet meeting, where her spokesman insisted her future was not discussed.
Ministers were tight-lipped as they left No.10 but the spokesman said: ‘Her view is she needs to be focused on what is right for the country rather than internal discussions among the party at the moment.
‘She is conscious that these are globally difficult times and the UK is in a difficult situation economically. That is why she has acted decisively.’ Asked if ministers had offered support in cabinet, the spokesman said: ‘Certainly ministers were very involved in the discussions around preparations for the medium-term fiscal plan.
‘It was an in-depth discussion where everyone was able to hear people’s views on this important issue for the UK.’
Members of the Cabinet leave No.10 after a tough day at the office (Credits: EPA)
The fiscal statement on October 31 will lay out more plans to encourage economic growth but Mr Hunt has warned MPs there will be ‘eye-wateringly’ difficult decisions on cuts to balance the books.
Some spooked MPs want to oust Ms Truss so a new PM has two years to turn things round before an election – due by 2024.
One plot is said to be for defence secretary Ben Wallace to get the job as a compromise to both wings of the party. Others tout a ticket of ex-chancellor Rishi Sunak and fellow beaten rival Penny Mordaunt.
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They fear polls giving Labour a lead of up to 36 points – enough to give them a landslide leaving the Conservatives as the third party with just 22 seats if she stays.
YouGov said its favourability poll of 1,700 adults, the weekend after she sacked Mr Kwarteng but before the latest U-turns, made her the least-liked leader since the survey began more than 20 years ago.
Boris Johnson giving his first speech after becoming PM back in 2019 – could he get another chance? (Picture: Getty Images)
One in ten adults has a positive view of Ms Truss but 80 per cent were negative – her -70 per cent net favourability had plunged 14 points in a week. YouGov also found 77 per cent disapproved of her government – the highest figure in the 11 years since it began tracking such data.
Another poll, by Savanta ComRes, yesterday said 67 per cent of people believed Tory MPs should replace Ms Truss. And 62 per cent of Tory voters think MPs should actively try to remove her. But mooted successors are also unpopular. Mr Sunak, Ms Mordaunt and Mr Hunt all had negative YouGov ratings. And even Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer was disliked by more people than support him – giving him a minus five per cent rating.
Mr Johnson’s popularity has risen since his summer exit amid claims he lied over lockdown parties in No.10. He is now on -36 – and things are so bad for Ms Truss that one third of party members told pollsters they wanted him back there.
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.
For more stories like this, check our news page.