Voters are shifting support away from the Tories, while two thirds consider the governing party “very sleazy” amid a flurry of negative headlines, polling has found.
A poll by Savanta ComRes put Labour six points ahead of the Conservatives in a sign that recent revelations about MPs' second jobs and the handling of the Owen Paterson affair could hurt Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s party at the ballot box.
The results, in which the Tories dropped four points and Labour climbed five since a similar poll a week ago, are based on a survey of more than 2,000 people in the UK, conducted on Thursday and Friday.
YouGov polling published on Friday and carried out last week also suggested the Tories had lost their lead, with its findings putting Mr Johnson and Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour Party neck and neck on 35 per cent of the vote share.
The polling found two thirds of voters viewed the Tories as “very sleazy” following Mr Paterson’s resignation and MP second jobs and homes revelations.
A separate survey by Redfield & Wilton Strategies on Wednesday put Labour two points ahead of the Tories.
The findings came after the government attempted to rip up the current Commons standards system to delay former Tory Cabinet minister Mr Paterson’s suspension for breaking lobbying rules, and revelations former attorney general Sir Geoffrey Cox voted by proxy while offering legal services in the Caribbean.
Speaking before the Savanta ComRes’ results were published, Mr Johnson had rejected suggestions the sleaze allegations being levelled at his party could be reflected at the ballot box in coming by-elections.
Mr Johnson visited Sidcup on Friday afternoon, where voters will elect a new MP in December after the death of former security minister James Brokenshire last month.
The Conservative leader insisted the strength of the local candidate in the Old Bexley and Sidcup constituency meant voters would back the Tories in the December 2 race.
But Mr Johnson said he did not “underestimate the vital importance” of MPs refraining from engaging in paid advocacy.
A Tory MP from the 2019 in-take said he thought the sleaze row, which he admitted had divided his party, had provided Labour with an opportunity to gain ground.
“The left are not in government, they want to be in government, and they’re looking for weakness," James Sunderland, MP for Bracknell, told the PA.
“And I think in many ways, what has happened over the last week or so has provided that opportunity for them.”
The backbencher said the Tories needed to restore their “reputational integrity” in the face of criticism of the government’s handling of the situation.
The comments and polling come as Lord Evans, chairman of the Committee on Standards in Public Life, said the public cared about issues such as standards – a point recent polling surveys appear to bear out.
Speaking at an event for the Constitution Unit research centre at University College London, the former MI5 chief called on the government to “do more” to uphold decency.
“The past week has shown that standards do matter to the public. Ethical standards are important for making democracy work. The public does care about this,” he said.
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The story of Edge
Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, established Edge in 2019.
It brought together 25 state-owned and independent companies specialising in weapons systems, cyber protection and electronic warfare.
Edge has an annual revenue of $5 billion and employs more than 12,000 people.
Some of the companies include Nimr, a maker of armoured vehicles, Caracal, which manufactures guns and ammunitions company, Lahab
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Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
Tips for job-seekers
- Do not submit your application through the Easy Apply button on LinkedIn. Employers receive between 600 and 800 replies for each job advert on the platform. If you are the right fit for a job, connect to a relevant person in the company on LinkedIn and send them a direct message.
- Make sure you are an exact fit for the job advertised. If you are an HR manager with five years’ experience in retail and the job requires a similar candidate with five years’ experience in consumer, you should apply. But if you have no experience in HR, do not apply for the job.
David Mackenzie, founder of recruitment agency Mackenzie Jones Middle East
