Included in the poll was the question “Who would make the best Prime Minister?”, to which 34% answered “Keir Starmer” and only 29% named Boris Johnson. Around 34% of respondents couldn’t come up with an answer to the posed question.
Which of the following do you think would make the best Prime Minister? (13-14 Jan)
— YouGov (@YouGov) January 19, 2021
Keir Starmer - 34%
Boris Johnson - 29%
Don't know - 34%https://t.co/75FEFFQpnS pic.twitter.com/bLBLr20BAE
The opposition Labour party narrowly beat the ruling Conservative party in the polls on the voting intentions, with 39% opting for Starmer’s party and 38% choosing Johnson’s Conservatives. The questions posed by the pollster asked who the respondents would vote for if a general election was held “tomorrow.”
Following the two main political parties, 5% of the surveyed people chose the Liberal Democrats, Greens remain on 6% and the Reform UK are on 3%. The Scottish National Party received 5%.
Latest Westminster voting intention (fieldwork 13-14 Jan)
— YouGov (@YouGov) January 19, 2021
Lab - 39%
Con - 38%
Green - 6%
Lib Dem - 5%
SNP - 5%
Reform UK - 3% https://t.co/75FEFFQpnS pic.twitter.com/UFlqhRpHTU
Politicians, especially the leading Conservatives, have been under constant scrutiny as they steered national response to the pandemic, the mass vaccination programme and the management of the post-Brexit realities.
Both the Tories and Labour politicians have been criticised for flip-flopping on critical issues, such as Covid-19 restrictions and safety measures.
Before Johnson announced the latest national lockdown on 4 January and said all schools should be shut down, even though days before the decision he assured the public that schools were safe. The PM’s lockdown decision came after on 3 January Scotland announced a new across-the-board lockdown on the devolved nation.
Boris Yesterday: Schools are safe
— Adam Currie (@Quackodile1) January 4, 2021
Nicola Sturgeon Today: Schools are not safe.
Boris Today: Yeah, what she said. Schools are not safe.#Lockdown #Boris pic.twitter.com/62uOWBTxdd
Keir Starmer in turn similarly changed his mind, as he went from Labour's previous position that schools should stay open during any lockdown to saying schools should be shut down as part of “national restrictions.”
With the UK daily coronavirus death rate being the highest in the world and the lack of certainty that comes with the economic fallout prompted by the pandemic, the ruling government may continue to see low figures when it comes to national voting intentions.
In addition to the widespread uncertainty, Brits have also been “bored” for a while now, according to the YouGov weekly mood tracker.
Figures show that 35% of Brits report feeling bored in the preceding week, compared to the pre-Covid average of 19%. The first lockdown, which took place in April, saw boredom levels peak at 40%.
Britain is getting bored.
— YouGov (@YouGov) January 19, 2021
Our weekly mood tracker shows that 35% of Brits report feeling bored in the preceding week, far up from the pre-COVID average of 19%.
Boredom levels peaked at 40% during the first lockdown in April.https://t.co/yi0ZL9T8jK pic.twitter.com/n9IDqZZjS7