Voters ‘turning against Boris Johnson after scandals and cover-ups’
Voters are "turning against" Boris Johnson as he is embroiled in yet another scandal, a pollster has warned.
Fresh off the heels of the Partygate scandal, the prime minister faced accusations he lied to cover up being aware of multiple allegations of sexual misconduct against Tory MP Chris Pincher before giving him the job of deputy chief whip.
Downing Street was forced on Tuesday to admit the PM was told about an investigation into Pincher before handing him the job, but said Johnson had forgotten about it.
The climbdown came after Lord McDonald of Salford, the former head of the Foreign Office, released a damning letter claiming that No 10 was lying about what the PM had been told and when.
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McDonald said Johnson was briefed on the matter “in person”, and that claims to the contrary were "not true".
James Johnson, co-founder of pollsters JL Partners, told BBC News that the latest scandal has further dented Johnson's already dismal popularity with voters.
He said: "[It] underlines really what we've known since mid-January, that as far as the public are concerned, Boris Johnson has not been straight with them."
Johnson said "the cover-ups" have caused the biggest crash of support, adding: "We saw that with Partygate and we're seeing it again now."
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The latest polling by Savanta ComRes shows a nine-point lead for Labour over the Tories.
Johnson's personal approval rating has also taken a hit, with his net favorability rating plunging to -32%, according to the latest polling from Survation.
Keir Starmer's approval rating was -2% in the same poll.
Last week, voters dealt the Conservatives a double blow as they party lost two key seats in parliamentary by-elections.
Johnson has also faced a rebellion from within his own party, facing down a no confidence vote last month.
The PM survived the vote — albeit narrowly — after 148 of his own MPs tried to oust him, and under current rules cannot face another one for 12 months.
However, that does not mean the threat has gone away altogether.
Elections are due to be held for the 1922 Committee in the coming months, with rebels attempting to seize control of the committee in order to bring about a change of rules to allow for another vote.