Rishi’s Tory rating turns negative

As the average mortgage rate for a five-year fixed deal rises to 6 per cent, Rishi Sunak can find little relief in his personal approval ratings. ConservativeHome has published its monthly cabinet league table in which the Prime Minister’s support among Tory members has hit its lowest level since he entered 10 Downing Street. Sunak at least has plenty of company in the red – he is one of a record nine cabinet ministers to find themselves with sub-zero approval ratings. These ministers include his deputy Oliver Dowden, Chancellor Jeremy Hunt, Levelling Up secretary Michael Gove and Therese Coffey.

Sunak is now on -2.7, compared to a positive rating of 21.6 in June, but is still doing better than some of his predecessors. Boris Johnson previously hit -33.8 as prime minister and Theresa May went lower still. Yet the ratings will just add to a sense in government and across the party that things are not going the Prime Minister’s way at present.