James Johnson, co-founder of JL Partners, joins the show to discuss the changing perception of Rishi Sunak among voters, including how he went from being seen as a breath of fresh air to being viewed as out of touch and spineless. The podcast also explores the decline of Sunak's popularity, the public perception of Kherstammer compared to the prime minister, and the impact of the post office scandal on voters' perception of the Liberal Democrats.
Rishi Sunak's popularity has shifted closer to the Conservative Party, posing a challenge for him and the party in appealing to undecided voters dissatisfied with the Tories.
Current voter perception of Rishi Sunak is negative, with terms like 'out of touch' and 'false' being used to describe him, hindering his image as a strong leader.
Deep dives
Rishi Sunak's Image Evolution
Rishi Sunak's popularity has had its ups and downs, from his introduction during the COVID-19 pandemic as the chancellor distributing funds through the furlough scheme and gaining popularity to experiencing a dent in his image with the non-domra scandal. Despite initially being seen as a potential Tory leader with higher personal ratings than the party itself, Sunak's image has shifted closer to the Conservative Party. However, there is still hope that he can appeal to undecided voters who are dissatisfied with the Tories.
Voters' Perception of Rishi Sunak
Current voter perception of Rishi Sunak is negative, with terms like 'rich,' 'out of touch,' and 'weak' being used to describe him. Voters in the 2020s are looking for strong leaders, and they do not perceive Sunak as embodying that strength. His recent events to connect with the public have been poorly received, with voters finding them staged and false. This shift in perception poses a challenge for Sunak and the Conservative Party, and keeping him away from the public may be a strategic move.
Comparing Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer
While voters criticize both Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer, the focus groups reveal that Starmer is not strongly disliked. Many voters don't know much about Starmer, but they are voting for the Labour Party itself rather than because of him. The polls suggest that Labour could potentially win a majority in the next election, but the lukewarm enthusiasm for Starmer could make it a less impressive victory. The focus groups also highlight that Angela Rayner is viewed positively, and her presence could attract more voters to Labour.
New polling from JL Partners shows how Rishi Sunak has changed, in the eyes of the public. They found that while Sunak was initially seen as a direct ‘breath of fresh air’, he is now frequently described as ‘out of touch’, ‘spineless’ and ‘false’.
To discuss what went wrong for the PM, James Heale and Katy Balls are joined by James Johnson, the co-founder of JL Partners.
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