![\"UK](\"https:\/\/c.ndtvimg.com\/2024-05\/gnu2sdn8_rishi-sunak-afp_625x300_23_May_24.jpeg\"\/ "\\"UK")
<\/div>\n<\/div>\nLondon, United Kingdom: <\/b><\/p>\n
Rishi Sunak on Wednesday called a general election but polls have consistently made grim reading for the UK prime minister, predicting a wipeout for his ruling Conservatives.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The latest YouGov\/Times voting intention poll has the Conservatives on 20 percent and Labour on 47 percent, while an average of major polls collated by The Economist gives Labour a 23 point lead.<\/p>\n
Just as concerning for the Tories is the durability of the opposition’s poll lead, which has been around 20 points since Liz Truss’s disastrous and short-lived term as prime minister in late 2022.<\/p>\n
The Conservatives, who have been in power since 2010, have not come out ahead of Labour in the average of polls since 2021.<\/p>\n
Polling expert John Curtice predicted that if the trend was repeated on the July 4 election day, the Conservatives could win even fewer seats than in their 1997 wipeout by Labour under Tony Blair. Then, they ended up with just 165 seats out of 650.<\/p>\n
An Electoral Calculus poll of polls calculated in April predicted that the Tories would win just 85 seats this time round, while Labour would win 472 and a 294-seat majority.\u00a0<\/p>\n
It is not just the headline figures that spell trouble for the Tories, but also polling on the underlying issues and the personal popularity of Sunak.<\/p>\n
Only 20 percent have a positive impression of the prime minister, compared with 71 percent who have a negative view of him, according to YouGov’s most recent polling — his joint-worst score ever.<\/p>\n
More than half of all voters see him as incompetent, untrustworthy, weak, dislikeable and indecisive, according to the same poll.<\/p>\n
Labour leader Keir Starmer is significantly more popular, but is still seen negatively by most voters, with a net score of -17.<\/p>\n
The opposition also scores more highly on the three main issues identified by voters: the economy, health and immigration.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The public favour Labour on the economy by a margin of 27 percent to 20 percent, on immigration by 21 percent to 15 percent and on health by 41 percent to 10 percent, according to YouGov.<\/p>\n
All of which leaves Labour with a “99 percent chance” of winning the election, Curtice said in March.<\/p>\n
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)<\/i><\/p>\n<\/div>\n